[3] Although the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 was initially met with much enthusiasm across Germany,[4] the local situation in Beuthen quickly turned for the worse.

The Russian offensive in Galicia pushed the frontline nearer to Upper Silesia, prompting German authorities to instate mass mobilisation in Beuthen, which coupled with growing unemployment in the district resulted in a local shortage of materials.

[5] The strongly-industrialized Beuthen district heavily relied on the import of food items from the Polish borderland: a market which was shut off by the war.

As the looming threat of Russian invasion subsided, arms industry sprang up across the district, e.g. an explosive materials factory was raised on the grounds of the Hohenzollern Coal Mine in Schomberg.

Thereafter, the 150-men strong insurgent company from Deutsch Piekar under the command of Jan Lortz attacked the Barracks in Beuthen from the direction of Scharley.

That same day, the towns of Deutsch Piekar and Scharley were recaptured by the Reichswehr, putting an end to the uprising in the northern part of the Beuthen district.

[15] An insurgent unit under the command of Andrzej Demarczyk attacked Skorch's Hotel in Beuthen (Grenzschutz headquarters) from the direction of Roßberg.

[14] In Karf, a group of 50 insurgents under the command of Jan Feja attacked a reconnaissance mission of Freikorps Tüllmann on the night of August 18 at around 2.a.m.

[14] The attack on the town hall was carried out in order to seize a German stash of weapons and ammunition, which ultimately could not be located.

Insurgent forces had to withdraw from Schomberg after an hour-long fight due to shortage of ammunition[14] and incoming German reinforcements.