Background
Hofmann was born a Catholic, but converted to Islam in 1980.
Hofmann was born a Catholic, but converted to Islam in 1980.
He studied at Harvard University.
Many of his books and essays focus on Islam"s place in the West and, after 11 September, in particular, in the United States. He is one of the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, calling for peace and understanding. His conversion was met with some controversy due to his high profile in the German government.
Hofmann served in the German Foreign Service from 1961 to 1994.
He first served in Algeria as a specialist on issues concerning nuclear defense. He went on to serve as Director of Information for North Atlantic Treaty Organization at Brussels from 1983 to 1987, Ambassador to Algeria from 1987 to 1990, and Ambassador to Morocco from 1990 to 1994.
Order of Merit in the Arts and Sciences, 1st Class, Egypt. Grand Cordon.