Johannes Hoffmann (3 July 1867 – 15 December 1930) was a German politician and member of the

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties For ...

from Bavaria. He served as a Minister in the revolutionary government of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and subsequently in the People's State of Bavaria administration, 1919–20.

Biography

Born in Ilbesheim, near Landau, Palatinate, his parents were Peter Hoffmann and Maria Eva, née Keller. He attended the Gymnasium in Landau, and, having completed his studies at the teaching seminary, served as a school teacher in

Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...

from 1887. He married Luise Ackermann in 1892. Between 1899 and 1904, Hoffmann was a member of the Kaiserslautern city council, seconded by the liberal German People's Party (DVP). In 1907, he joined the Social Democrats and was elected deputy of the

Bavarian Landtag The Landtag of Bavaria, officially known in English as the Bavarian State Parliament, is the unicameral legislature of the German state of Bavaria. The parliament meets in the Maximilianeum in Munich. Elections to the Landtag are held every f ...

the next year; his candidacy earned him disciplinary proceedings and he finally had to quit public service. In 1910 he returned into the Kaiserslautern city council and from 1912 he held the position of second mayor. In the same year, he was elected to the German Reichstag parliament. After the

German Revolution of 1918–19 German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

and the establishment of the People's State of Bavaria, he served as Bavarian Minister of Education under Minister-President Kurt Eisner. During his tenure as Minister of Education, he removed the Bavarian schooling system from the supervision of the Catholic Church. After Eisner's assassination he succeeded him as minister-president of the People's State of Bavaria on 17 March 1919 as the first freely elected Bavarian Minister President. Ousted from Munich by the forces of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and the local

worker's council A workers' council or labor council is a form of political and economic organization in which a workplace or municipality is governed by a council made up of workers or their elected delegates. The workers within each council decide on what thei ...

led by Hoffmann's former party fellow Ernst Niekisch, the parliament and government evaded to

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...

in April 1919, where Hoffmann took part in the working out of the Bavarian Constitution ("Bamberg Constitution"). After his government had Munich occupied by Reichswehr troops and paramilitary Freikorps units, Hoffmann and his cabinet were able to return in May 1919. However, on 14 March 1920, Hoffmann resigned and was succeeded by

Gustav von Kahr Gustav Ritter von Kahr (; born Gustav Kahr; 29 November 1862 – 30 June 1934) was a German right-wing politician, active in the state of Bavaria. He helped turn post–World War I Bavaria into Germany's center of radical-nationalism but was the ...

, after he was forced out of office by the Bavarian Civil Guards and Freikorps forces.Diehl, James M. Paramilitary Politics in Weimar Germany. Indiana University Press, 1977. pp. 72–74. Hoffmann returned to Kaiserslautern. After standing unsuccessfully for Mayor of

Ludwigshafen Ludwigshafen, officially Ludwigshafen am Rhein (; meaning " Ludwig's Port upon Rhine"), is a city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the river Rhine, opposite Mannheim. With Mannheim, Heidelberg, and the surrounding region, it form ...

, he again tried to pursue his teaching career. Nevertheless, he was dismissed on charges of collaboration during the

Allied occupation of the Rhineland The Occupation of the Rhineland from 1 December 1918 until 30 June 1930 was a consequence of the collapse of the Imperial German Army in 1918, after which Council of the People's Deputies, Germany's provisional government was obliged to agree ...

. At least, Hoffmann retained his Reichstag mandate until his death in 1930. All pension claims raised by his widow were denied by the Bavarian government.

Literature

Universitätsbibliothek Regensburg - Bosls bayrische Biographie - Johannes Hoffmann
(in German), author: Karl Bosl, publisher: Pustet, page 361

References

External links

Picture of Johannes Hoffmann, taken in 1919
Historisches Lexikon Bayerns {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffmann, Johannes 1867 births 1930 deaths People from Südliche Weinstraße People from the Palatinate (region) People from the Kingdom of Bavaria German Protestants German People's Party (1868) politicians Social Democratic Party of Germany politicians Members of the Reichstag of the German Empire Members of the Weimar National Assembly Members of the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic Members of the Bavarian Chamber of Deputies Ministers-President of Bavaria Bavarian Soviet Republic