When did the magnesite mine Constantin in Poland fall to the advancing Red Army?

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear All,

Yes, I know that sounds like a really arcane question to ask. Let me explain my interest.

According to a Polish magazine, Krupp manufactured Me 262 steel wing spar caps at the mine. The mine was located near Frankenberg, if that is of any help in trying to answer my question.

I really don't have any outside corroboration of this activity but, with the details given in the article, it seems to be authentic. One possible reason I can't find independent corroboration is that, by the time the Germans prepared a detailed list of Me 262 parts suppliers (20 Mar. 1945) the mine may have been overrun by the Red Army, which explains my interest in the date this actually happened.

Taking a more elevated view of Me 262 production in the last 6 months of the war, the various dates that production facilities fell into Allied hands is important and I'd like to know if there is a source of day by day front line advance data.

Taking yet a different view, these same facilities (that is, the ones above ground) may have been badly damaged due to Allied bombing. Is there a day by day source of what was hit and how badly it was damaged?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Regards,
Richard