Immobilized between the two battle fleets, Wiesbaden became the center of a hard-fought action that saw the destruction of two British armored cruisers.

This freed the design staff to adopt the new 15 cm (5.9 in) gun for the new ship's main battery, which the German fleet had sought for some time.

The decision to move to the larger gun was in large part driven by reports that the latest British cruiser, HMS Chatham, would carry a complete waterline armor belt.

After completing her initial testing on 23 October, she was assigned to II Scouting Group, part of the reconnaissance force of the High Seas Fleet.

II Scouting Group conducted another sweep into the North Sea on 21–22 April in the direction of Horns Rev.

Konteradmiral (KAdm–Rear Admiral) Friedrich Boedicker, the German commander, initially ordered his battlecruisers to continue with the bombardment, while Wiesbaden and the other five light cruisers concentrated to engage the Harwich Force.

A British light cruiser and destroyer were damaged before Boedicker broke off the engagement after receiving reports of submarines in the area.

At the start of the battle, Wiesbaden was cruising to starboard, which placed her on the disengaged side when Elbing, Pillau, and Frankfurt first engaged the British cruiser screen.

[11] At around 18:30,[c] Wiesbaden and the rest of II Scouting Group encountered the cruiser HMS Chester; they opened fire and scored several hits on the ship.

His flagship HMS Invincible scored a hit on Wiesbaden that exploded in her engine room and disabled the ship.

KAdm Paul Behncke, the commander of the leading element of the German battle line, ordered his dreadnoughts to cover the stricken Wiesbaden.

The destroyer HMS Onslow steamed to within 2,000 yards (1,800 m) of Wiesbaden and fired a single torpedo at the crippled cruiser.

[13] Shortly after 20:00, III Flotilla of torpedo boats attempted to rescue Wiesbaden's crew, but heavy fire from the British battle line drove them off.

[14] Another attempt to reach the ship was made, but the torpedo boat crews lost sight of the cruiser and were unable to locate her.

[15] Among the 589 killed was the well-known writer of poetry and fiction dealing with the life of fishermen and sailors, Johann Kinau, known under his pseudonym of Gorch Fock, who has since then been honored by having two training windjammers of the Kriegsmarine and the German Navy, respectively, named after him.