Abstract The organogermane GeH2Cp*2 (1) was synthesized by the reaction of GeCl2Cp*2 (A) with LiAlH4 in quantitative yield, whereas the synthesis of the previously reported compounds SiCl2Cp*2 (B), SnCl2Cp*2 (C), SiClHCp*2 (D) and SiH2Cp*2 (E) followed established routes. The molecular structures of the Cp*M(IV) derivatives 1, B, D and E are reported. In addition, compound 1 was characterized by spectroscopic