HOFFMANN, Ernst Theodor Wilhelm, German novelist: b. Konigsberg, 24 Jan. 1776; d. 24 July 1822. In admiration of Mozart he dropped the name Wilhelm and substituted Amadeus. His childhood and youth were joy less and in 1792 he entered the University of Konigsberg to prepare for a legal career. He practised for a short time at Konigsberg, re moving subsequently to Glogau and in 1798 to Berlin. In 1800 he went to Posen but his powers of caricature cost him his place and caused his virtual banishment to Plozk. His leisure moments were spent in musical composi tion. In 1804 he removed to Warsaw, where he was influenced by the Romantic writers such as Novalis, Tieck and Wackenroder. During his sojourn in Warsaw he composed the music to Brentano's Qustige Musikanten) and to Wer ner's 'Kreuz an der Ostzee> and the opera 'Liebe und Eifersucht.' Hoffmann's fortunes were impaired when the French invaded War saw, and in 1808 he moved to Bamberg as musical director of a theatre there. This in stitution became bankrupt and Hoffman turned to literature in order to enhance his scanty earnings as composer and teacher of music.
His earliest work was a series of musical sketches, in Callots Manier' (4 vols., 1814). In 1814 he was recalled to Berlin and in 1816 was made councillor of the Court of Appeal. In the latter year appeared his great novel, 'Die Elixiere der Teufels' (q.v.), which laid the foundation of his literary fame. Hoffman's habits of dissipation impaired his health and he died of locomotor ataxia at the age of 46. Other works by him are anischten des Katers Murr> (1820-22), 'Die Serapionsbriider) (1819) and (1817). His works were recently published (15 vols., 1905). His musical compositions were edited by E. Istel (1906). Translations of all of his important works have appeared in Eng lish. Consult Ellinger, G., 'E. T. A. Hoff mann' (1894) ; Hitzig, 'Hoffmann's Leben und Nachlass> (Stuttgart 1839) ; Klinke, O., 'Hoff mann's Leben und Werke vom Standpunkte eines Irrenarztes' (1903) ; Sakheim, Arthur, 'E. T. A. Hoffmann: Studien zu seiner Person lichkeit und seinen Werken' (Leipzig 1908) ; Wolzogen, Hans, 'E. T. A. Hoffmann und R. Wagner' (Berlin 1906).