Raid on Libau
History
Due to diplomatic tensions in Germany prior to World War I, 2 August 1914 was set as the first day of mobilization, but the Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Sea Forces received instructions from Berlin that he could not initiate any offensive operations until the Russian forces had first taken an offensive action, as the German government still wanted to give peace a chance. Prince Henry, who had been appointed commander of the German fleet stationed in the Baltic Sea , was thus forced to amend the August 1 order for the offensive detachment (light cruisers Augsburg and Magdeburg ) stationed at Neufahrwasser, Danzig , to begin their previously assigned tasks without waiting for separate orders to be issued, to read: “In this case too, a separate order must be awaited.” Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz , head of the Reichsmarineamt (Naval Ministry ) , tried to end this uncertainty by requesting an immediate written answer from the Foreign Ministry on the night of 1–2 August to the question of whether military operations against Russia could now be started and whether a declaration of war against Russia could accordingly be communicated to the navy. The reply informed Tirpitz that Russian troops had crossed the German-Russian border, so that naval forces could be put into action. Tirpitz informed the Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet of this at 07:57 on 2 August, while at the same time the Chief of the Naval Staff ( Admiralstabnak ) sent the following order to the two cruisers via the Danzig spark telegraph station:
- "War with Russia. Combat operations have begun. Proceedings as planned. Admiral."
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