Career
After studying law in Bern, Jena and Munich, Karl Hoffmann obtained a doctorate in 1839 and became a lawyer in Saint Gallen (1840–1891). He was elected to the Grand Conseil of the Canton of Saint Gallen between 1853 and 1870, and again between 1873 and 1895. In parallel, he was elected to the Council of States between 1873 in 1891.
On 22 February 1881, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council but declined the election for family reasons.