Georg Hoffman piano

[Bill Kibby]

I deal with over twenty thousand piano names, and most are not listed on the internet. I can tell you that Hoffman was there in 1928, but otherwise, his history is muddled up with all the other firms called Haufmann or Hofmann in various spellings.

[gbarnes]

Hello - I am in Connecticut USA and I have some information for you on Georg Hoffmann.

I am actually Georg's step-grandson, and I am named after him. My mother, who was from Berlin, was Georg's stepdaughter. Georg ran a successful piano manufacturing business in Berlin for several years until his death in the early 1940's. The factory was unfortunately a casualty of the war. Unfortunately I know little else about him, though there is some information in family archives I can access. My mother met my father, a physics student from Alabama, in the early 1930's, and she left Berlin to marry Dad in 1936. Part of her dowry was a Hoffmann grand piano which arrived with her in New York. Mom and Dad lived in a 3rd floor walk-up apartment in Princeton, New Jersey were my Father was teaching. Did did not expect the piano, but Hitler only let people take possessions out of Germany - no cash, so china and the Grand were her dowry. A crane on the apartment house roof did the trick through a removed bay window. The piano became a focal point in our Connecticut home and is now in Vancouver, Washington with my mother's sister's (Georg's natural daughter and only other child) daughter who became an accomplished pianist. I have a felt keys cover with gold Georg Hoffmann Pianos lettering and a company brochure from the 20's and some photos of Georg - the only legacy from my Step-grandfather. My grandmother survived the war, in Berlin, and her brownstone was damaged but in tact. She visited the US in the late 1940's. I hope this gives a little "personality" to your Hoffmann pianos - My Best, George Barnes

[Bill Kibby]

Thank you so much for the information, it is not the sort of thing anybody can find by active research, and it is nice to have some concrete information about George Hoffman (or Hoffmann?), whereas we know very little about other Hoffmann pianos, or Hoffman, Hofman, Hofmann, Haufmann and so many similar names. Can I ask you to confirm to me which of the two spellings you used is the correct one?

[gbarnes]

Thanks for the kind words. I will verify the spelling once I locate the archives.