Relief map of Great Britain and Ireland, the North Sea, English Channel, and Atlantic Ocean, with northwestern Europe: France, Belgium, Holland, and Scandinavia. The war-zone outlined on the map was declared on February 4, 1915. On May 7, the Lusitania entered the war zone southwest of Ireland.

Map Text:

Atlantisch Ozean, Nord-See, Kanal - Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, English Channel

Kriegs-Gebiets-Grenze - War-zone-boundary



Caption:

Westl[ichen] Kriegschaupl[atz]: Nr. 97. Karte III: Die Gewässer um Großbritannien und Irland werden als Kriegsgebiet erklärt. Serie 47/4

Western front: No. 97 Map III: The waters around Britain and Ireland will be declared a war zone. Series 47/4



Reverse:

Ausgabe des Kriegsfürsorgeamtes Wien IX.

Zum Gloria-Viktoria Album

Sammel. u. Nachschlagewerk des Völkerkrieges

War Office Assistance Edition, Vienna IX

For Gloria Victoria album

Collection and reference book of international war

Other views: Larger, Back

Thursday, February 4, 1915

"The waters round Great Britain and Ireland, including the English Channel, are hereby proclaimed a war region.

On and after February 18th every enemy merchant ship found in this region will be destroyed, without it always being possible to warn the crews or passengers of the dangers threatening.

Neutral ships will also incur danger in the war region, where in view of the misuse of neutral flags ordered by the British Government, and incidents inevitable in sea warfare, attacks intended for hostile ships may affect neutral ships also.

The sea passage to the north of the Shetland Islands, and the eastern region of the North Sea in a zone of at least 30 miles along the Netherlands coast, are not menaced by any danger.

Berlin, February 4th [1915] von Pohl, Chief of Marine Staff"

Quotation Context

On November 5, 1914, Great Britain declared the North Sea a war area, and extended its blockade of Germany. Although this angered neutral nations — most importantly the United States — it increasingly deprived Germany of needed materials and supplies. Fearing loss of its surface ships to superior British ships, Germany relied on its submarines to enforce its own war region.

Source

The Great Events of the Great War in Seven Volumes by Charles F. Horne, Vol. III, 1915, p. 56, copyright © 1920 by The National Alumnia, publisher: The National Alumni, publication date: 1920

Tags

1915-02-04, February, 1915, blockade, war zone, British Isles war zone