During the famine in
Ansbach in the middle of the 18th century, Hofmann's parents had emigrated from
Pretzendorf (now
Himmelkron), near
Bayreuth, to Bohemia, where they lived in very poor circumstances. His early training he received at home, and from his thirteenth year he studied at
Prague as a "bachur" (
Talmudic scholar) under Rabbi
Abraham Plohn.[1]
Career
After completing his studies he entered as teacher the house of
Joel Baruch, a
tobacco farmer for the Austrian government. Besides giving instruction to the children, Hofmann took charge of the books of his employer. When in 1788 Baruch moved to Vienna and opened a wholesale house there, Hofmann was appointed manager of the entire business. Having received the same year a permit from the Austrian government to do business in Vienna, he chose the name "Isaak Löw Hofmann". On the death of Baruch he was made a partner and, in 1794, became sole member of the firm which bore the name "Hofmann und
Löwinger". Becoming interested in 1796 in the manufacture of
silk, he was one of the first to farm the silk monopoly from the
Hungarian government (1802), a privilege which his house retained for nearly half a century. At his instigation, his son
Emanuel wrote a pamphlet, "Einleitung zur Seidenzucht", of which more than 16,000 copies were distributed. Hofmann was very active in business, and succeeded in making his firm one of the leading houses of Austria-Hungary.[1]
Hofmann took great interest in the
Jewish community of Vienna, being president in 1806 and representative in 1812, which latter office he held until his death. In 1822 he founded the institution for the poor ("Armenanstalt"), which is still flourishing. He received many honours, and was made a member of the hereditary nobility by the
Emperor of Austria in 1835.[1]
Personal life
Lithograph of Therese von Hofmannsthal (née Schefteles) by
Josef Kriehuber, 1837
Hofmann was married to Therese Schefteles (1773–1850), a daughter of Wolf Beer Schefteles. Together, they were the parents of:
Henriette Hofmann (1791–1830), who married Lazar Goldstein.[2]
Regine Babette Hofmann (1792–1812), who married Ephraim Hürsch.[3]
Josephine Pepi Hofmann (1795–1819), who died unmarried.[4]