When Norway was invaded by Germany in April 1940, many Norwegian athletes volunteered to fight in the Norwegian Campaign. Hoff then made his mark as he called on the fighters to lay down their weapons and return to the sports field. For this he was sacked by the Norwegian Athletics Association. However, Germany was able to establish an occupation of Norway, and soon moved to tighten their grip on Norwegian society. At this point Hoff contacted the "Reichskommissariat" to propose a Nazi reorganization of sports life in Norway. In September 1940 he was given the position as deputy under-secretary of state in the new Ministry of Labour and Sports, which was headed by Axel Heiberg Stang. He also joined the Nasjonal Samling at that time.