At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, "Stettin" was serving in the North Sea with the High Seas Fleet. On 6 August, she and the cruiser escorted a flotilla of U-boats into the North Sea in an attempt to draw out the British fleet, which could then be attacked by the U-boats. The force returned to port on 11 August, without having encountered any British warships. Some two weeks later, on 28 August, "Stettin" was involved in the Battle of Heligoland Bight. At the start of the engagement, "Stettin", , and stood in support of the line of torpedo boats patrolling the Heligoland Bight; "Stettin" was at anchor to the northeast of Heligoland island, and the other two ships were on either side. The German screen was under the command of Rear Admiral Franz von Hipper, the commander of reconnaissance forces for the High Seas Fleet.