▁instit uted ▁a ▁re organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁forces , ▁and ▁Be hr ing ▁was ▁replaced ▁with ▁Kon ter ad mir al ▁Albert ▁Hop man . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Mich elsen ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Hop man ' s ▁chief ▁of ▁staff , ▁with ▁his ▁place ▁as ▁Prin z ▁Ad al berts ▁command ing ▁officer ▁being ▁taken ▁by ▁Kap it än ▁zur ▁See ▁Wilhelm ▁B unn emann . ▁The ▁ship ▁remained ▁the ▁flags hip ▁of ▁the ▁unit , ▁and ▁Hop man ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁cru ise ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁vessel ▁from ▁K iel ▁to ▁Dan zig ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁April . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁Gener alf eld mar sch all ▁( General ▁Field ▁Marsh al ) ▁Paul ▁von ▁H inden burg , ▁the ▁commander ▁in ▁chief ▁of ▁German ▁forces ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front , ▁ordered ▁a ▁major ▁assault ▁on ▁Lib au . ▁Hop man ▁ordered ▁his ▁forces ▁to ▁support ▁an ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁Army ▁to ▁se ize ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁pre - d read n ought s ▁of ▁the ▁IV ▁Battle ▁Squadron ▁and ▁the ▁IV ▁Sc out ing ▁Group ▁were ▁allocated ▁to ▁Hop man ' s ▁command ▁to ▁provide ▁additional ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁operation . ▁The ▁attack ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 7 ▁May , ▁and ▁consisted ▁of ▁Prin z ▁Ad al bert ▁and ▁the ▁arm ored ▁cru is ers ▁ ▁and ▁Prin z ▁Heinrich , ▁the ▁elder ly ▁coast ▁defense ▁ship ▁, ▁and ▁the ▁cru is ers ▁A ugs burg , ▁Th et is