Studied history and political science at the University of Vienna; since 2002 art restitution/provenance researcher in the Department of Restitution Affairs of the IKG [Jewish Community] Vienna; previously long-standing collaboration in research projects on approaches to Nazi crimes after 1945 and dealing with the past in Austria (FWF, Austrian National Bank Anniversary Fund, Investigation Office for Post-War Justice) and Wehrmacht crimes ("History in the Making", Ruth Wodak/Walter Manoschek); 2000–01 Austrian Historical Commission (Nazi asset expropriation and restitution in Austria).
Born in Břeclav in 1885, Valerie Marie - known as Vally - Hoffmann married Josef Honig, president of the M. Honig AG spinning and knitting factory in Heidenreichstein, in 1906.