 A strong supporter of the French Revolution, he argued for an accession of all German territory west of the Rhine to France and served in the administration of the department Mont-Tonnerre under the French Directory and the French Consulate.Hofmann was born in Zell am Main near Würzburg as the son of a surgeon.After the early death of his parents, he was educated by his uncle Fahrmann, likely Andreas Joseph Fahrmann (1742-1802), professor of moral theology at the University of Würzburg and later auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Würzburg.