Carl Adolf Maximilian Hoffmann  
(25.01.1869 - 08.06.1927)
place of birth:  Homberg (Efze) Großherzogtum Hessen
Königreich Preußen:  AOK-Stabschef,  Generalmajor


One of Germany's most brilliant general staff officers, Max Hoffmann served as Hindenburg's 8. Armee operations officer on the Eastern Front. As such, Hoffmann was the chief planner of the Tannenberg encirclement and and the victory during the Battle of Masurian Lakes. Born in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, Hoffmann entered military service in 1887 as a 3-year volunteer and officer aspirant. He soon demonstrated academic promise and graduated from Prussian War College 1898. He was then immediately sent to Russian for a 6-month study tour. Upon his return, Hoffmann spent most of his peace-time career serving with the Prussian General Staff. As a Hauptmann in 1904, he completed a year-and-a-half deployment to Manchuria as an observer with the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War.

Leading up to the Great War, Major Hoffmann served for three years as a military instructor at Prussian War College, before being assigned command of an infantry battalion in late 1913. As Germany mobilized in August 1914, he was selected to function as Generaloberst von Prittwitz und Gaffron's First General Staff Officer (Ia) at 8. Armee-Oberkommando headquarters. Here his knowledge of the Russian military and expertise in tactics would play a major role in Germany's initial defensive success in East Prussia. Following earlier setbacks at the border towns of Stallupönen and Gumbinnen, Prittwitz planned a general withdrawal of his 8. Armee back to the Vistula. Both Hoffmann and Sr. Quartermaster Grünert vehemently opposed this plan, recognizing that their retreat would expose Königsberg and the entirety of East Prussia to the two advancing Russian Armies. German Supreme Command also recognized this and Chief of Staff von Moltke thus famously replaced Prittwitz with Hindenburg and Ludendorff. The duo arrived at the front lines in complete agreement with Hoffmann's counter offensive strategy. Hoffmann's plan lead to 8. Armee's renowned victory at Tannenberg on 30 August, where the Germans were able to encircle and route Samsonov's Second Army. The Germans were again victorious just a few days later at Masurian Lakes, essentially driving both Russian armies out of most of East Prussia.

Hoffmann was retained as head of operations when in September 1914 Hindenburg formed the 9. Armee-Oberkommando. In late August 1916, when General Ludendorff was assigned to OHL - Supreme Army Command, he recommended that Hoffmann be his replacement as 9. Armee Chief of Staff. The 9. Armee moved southward to battle in and around Warsaw and defend Silesia from a pending Russian invasion. This led in November to the formation of Ober Ost (Oberbefehlshaber Ost) with overall command of German military forces on the Eastern Front. When Hindenburg and Ludendorff were called to lead OHL in August 1916, Hoffmann was promoted to Oberst and became Leopold von Bayern's Chief of Staff at Oberbefehlshaber Ost headquarters. During this time, Hoffmann was recognized for his distinguished service and leadership with the highest Royal Prussian order of bravery, the Pour le Mérite. He was one of the few non-Bavarians to be decorated with the Knight's Cross of Bavaria's highest military order - the Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden.

Max Hoffmann played a key role in halting the 1916 Brusilov Offensive and later negotiated the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. He was promoted to Major General in 1917, by which time he was de facto commander of the Eastern Front Army under the figurehead Prince Leopold von Bayern. Nicknamed "der Lange" - he was 6'4" - Hoffmann has been recognized by many (including himself) as the unaccredited genius behind the Hindenburg/ Ludendorff duo, and he sharply criticized both famous commanders in his post-war memoirs. He passed away on 8 July 1927 in Bad Reichenhall, Oberbayern.

	Generalmajor	29.10.1917
	Pour le Mérite	07.10.1916  (25.07.1917:  Eichenlaub)
	Militär-St-Heinrich	23.10.1916  Ritter  (03.09.1917:  Kommandeur II)
	Militär-Max-Joseph	03.08.1917  Ritter