Joachim Hoffmann Prominent German historian, an odious figure in Germany itself Date of Birth: 01.12.1930 Country: Germany

Joachim Hoffman: A Controversial German Historian

Joachim Hoffman was a prominent German historian and a controversial figure in Germany. He was born in Königsberg, East Prussia and towards the end of World War II, his family had to flee to the western part of Germany to escape the advancing forces of the Red Army. Eventually, Hoffman settled in Berlin.

He studied modern history, Eastern European history, and comparative ethnography at the Free University of Berlin and the University of Hamburg from 1951 onwards. In 1959, Hoffman obtained his PhD and soon after, he joined the German Armed Forces Military History Research Office, where he worked until 1995. At the Research Office, Hoffman specialized in the armed forces of the Soviet Union and eventually became the scientific director of the center. In this role, he received several awards, including the Dr. Walter-Eckhardt Award in 1991 and the cultural award of the General Vlasov Foundation in 1992.

After leaving the Research Office in 1995, Hoffman continued to publish as an independent author. Throughout his life, he authored a series of scholarly works, with most of them focused on World War II. Some of his books explored previously unexplored aspects such as the relationship between Germans and Kalmyks and Caucasians, as well as untold stories of the Eastern Legions. Hoffman's works often sparked controversy and debates. One of his popular theories, still popular in certain circles, suggested that the Soviet Union planned to attack Germany first. His research on this topic was based on studies by Russian historians, such as Viktor Suvorov. However, Hoffman concluded that Hitler was likely unaware of Stalin's plans, thus challenging the notion of Germany's preemptive attack on the USSR.

Hoffman's research on the Holocaust also ignited debates. In one of his books, he argued that the widely accepted figure of 6 million victims was exaggerated and propagated by Soviet propagandists. According to Hoffman, only 74,000 names of victims were documented in available records. Although he acknowledged that official records did not account for all victims, he insisted on a maximum figure of 5 million. After his retirement, Hoffman served as an expert witness in a trial involving the publishing company 'Grabert,' which was accused of Holocaust denial and racial persecution. Despite showing some respect for the controversial book in question, Hoffman's testimony did not sway the judges, and all copies of the work were confiscated and destroyed.

In 1984, Hoffman published his work 'The History of the Vlasov Army,' which gained popularity, particularly in Russia, partly due to the support of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Joachim Hoffman passed away on February 8, 2002, at the age of 71.