Hans-Joachim "Jochen"[1][2][3]Hoffmann (10 October 1929 – 19 July 1994) was a German politician and party functionary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED).
Hoffmann rose to the Bezirk Leipzig SED Secretariat in 1966, first serving as secretary for agitation and propaganda, before being made secretary for science, education and culture in 1969. He was finally promoted to second in command in November 1970, when Second Secretary Horst Schumann acceded to lead the Bezirk Leipzig SED following Paul Fröhlich's death.[1][4][5]
When the 6th session of the Central Committee of the SED in May 1972 abandoned the dogmatic cultural postulates of the notorious 11th Plenum of 1965 [de], Hoffmann argued for a broad concept of culture and a realistic interpretation of conflict in art.[2]
As Minister, Hoffmann was considered one of the "liberals" in government. His tenure was marked by the exodus of numerous artists from the GDR, including the expatriation of Wolf Biermann, which he was besmirched by.[2] His strategy of mediating between artists and a one-dimensional political system led to ongoing conflicts over the virtually nonexistent freedom of expression. Hoffmann enjoyed a good reputation among artists, later being described as "Artists' advocate".[2]
During the Gorbachev era, Hoffmann publicly supported Perestroika in an September 1988 interview with the West German theater journal Theater heute, using the title quote, "The safest course is change."[2][3] In the interview, Hoffmann not only expressed sympathy for Gorbachev's political approach, but also refused to call the theatre people who had left the GDR traitors.[2]
Hoffmann however refused to be intimidated, despite being in poor health. From that point on, his phone calls were deliberately monitored, yet he demonstratively continued to defend GDR artists.
Hoffmann also opposed the ban on the Soviet magazine Sputnik and a number of Soviet films.[2]
With his self-taught computer skills, he trained former officials in the IT skills they needed for new tasks in the social sector.[3]
When the job was eliminated, a feeling of emptiness ate into his psyche. In 1994, Hoffmann died of his second heart attack and was buried in the Grünau Forest Cemetery.[3]
These letters, dating back to 1983, include responses from notable or prominent GDR residents to Hoffmann's inquiry about their reading habits and preferences. The correspondents also mentioned books they would like to read if they were available in the GDR. Contributors included Waldemar Cierpinski, Peter Hacks, Sigmund Jähn, Gret Palucca, Werner Tübke, and Christa Wolf.[15]
