Paul Höffer first studied with Georgii, Bölsche, and Abendroth at the Musikhochschule in Cologne. After an interruption by World War II, he continued his studies in 1920 at the Musikhochschule in Berlin with Franz Schreker. From 1923 he teached piano there himself. From 1930 he also teached composition and music theorya, and in 1933 he was appointed professor.

Although in 1935 he was put on the list of “music-Bolsheviks” by the Nazi cultural community, he received the gold medal for his choral work Olypischer Schwur (Olympic Vow) at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

Whereas he was listed as “atonal composers”, Höffer continued to receive support from Goebbels, and in 1939 received 5.000 marks for the commissioned of an orchestral work. In 1944 he wrote on request of the Reich Office the oratorio Mysterium der Liebe (Mystery of Love). In the final phases of the Second World War (August 1944) Hitler put him on the Gottbegnadeten list of important composers, saving him from war combat.

In 1948 Höffer became director of the Berlin Music Academy, but he died the following year already.

A memorial plaque is located at the former Olympic Stadium, Berlin Charlottenburg–Wilmersdorf.