Zeithain was home to one of Germany's oldest military training areas. The area was first used for training exercises in 1730 during the "Zeithain Pleasure Camp" by the Saxon army under Elector Augustus the Strong. In 1873, an artillery firing range was established for the Dresden garrison of the Saxon army. The training area was expanded in several stages in 1879, 1892, and 1899 to an area of almost 100 square kilometers. From 1920 to 1937, the military training area was largely demilitarized. Only the filling and ammunition plant, later the Army Ammunition Plant (Muna), remained until 1937. On April 1, 1937, the military training area was re-established. Starting in 1941, Soviet prisoners of war were used for forced labor. On April 23, 1945, Soviet troops occupied the area. From 1953 to 1956, the military training area was initially used by the Soviet Army, from 1956 to 1992 by the National People's Army, and from 1992 to 1997 by the German Armed Forces. In 2007, the military training area was abandoned and converted into the "Gohrischheide and Elbniederterrassen" nature reserve.