Germany, Heer. A Wehrpaß and Paper Items to Obergefreiter Alfred Zirngast, Eastern Front KIA

(Heer Wehrpaß). A lot of paper items to Obergefreiter Alfred Zirngast, including:

1. A Wehrpaß, constructed of a card stock binding with 52 paginated interior pages filled with handwritten and stamped entries, retaining a certified black-and-white studio portrait of Zirngast, measuring 10.5 cm (w) x 15 cm (h), demonstrating extensive material fatigue and soiling, the former resulting in the loosening of pages, a storied example in very fine condition.

2. A Wehrmacht driver’s license, constructed of field-grey oilcloth with black ink, retaining a certified black-and-white studio portrait of Zirngast, measuring 10.5 cm (w) x 14.5 cm (h), demonstrating material fatigue throughout, in very fine condition.

3. A photograph depicting Zirngast’s grave site, featuring name, unit information, birthplace, and birth and death dates in razor-sharp clarity, the reverse in postcard format and bearing a handwritten inscription, likely posted to Zirngast’s next-of-kin in the aftermath of his death, measuring 8.5 cm (w) x 13.5 cm (h), in extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Alfred Zirngast was born on 13 September 1918 in Arnfels (near Graz), Austria-Hungary. He entered Wehrmacht service in 1940 and was initially assigned to Infanterie-Eratz-Bataillon 499, being trained on the Karabiner 98k rifle and MG 34 machine gun. He was promoted to Gefreiter on 1 December 1940, and to Obergefreiter on 1 April 1942. He was later assigned to Infanterie-Regiment 438 and Infanterie-Regiment 437 (as part of a Panzer-Jäger unit), the latter attached to 132. Infanterie-Division, and saw action in both France during the spring of 1940, before being transferred to Yugoslavia during the Balkan campaign of spring and summer 1941. Zirngast was then deployed to the Eastern Front, where he was killed in action on 25 April 1942 in Daln-Kamyschi, Crimea. He is buried in the German war cemetery at Sevastopol-Gontscharnoje.