Maximilian von Herff was born in Hanover on 17 April 1893, the son of a general practitioner.

The Protestant von Herff family originated from Herve in Belgium and moved to the Palatinate in 1577 to escape religious persecution.

During World War II, Herff served with the Deutsches Afrika Korps in North Africa.

In his later diary entries, Herff claimed to have had knowledge of the Final Solution but not have played any role in administrative or actual involvement in exterminations or deportations.

[5][6] Herff was taken prisoner by British forces in 1945, and held at Grizedale Hall POW camp.

[7] Both were acquitted of any war crimes and, along with Maximilian von Herff, claimed they were only involved in the Nazi Party base and Waffen-SS[citation needed] not the extermination of the Jews.