When the First Balkan War broke out in October 1912, the German General Staff determined that a naval Mediterranean Division ("Mittelmeer-Division") was needed to project German power in the Mediterranean, and thus dispatched "Goeben" and the light cruiser to Constantinople. The two ships left Kiel on 4 November and arrived on 15 November 1912. Beginning in April 1913, "Goeben" visited many Mediterranean ports including Venice, Pola, and Naples, before sailing into Albanian waters. Following this trip, "Goeben" returned to Pola and remained there from 21 August to 16 October for maintenance.