Compressibility studies have been carried out on Ge–I (diamond‐cubic structure) to 12.0 GPa; the results are in very good agreement with previous work. We confirm the recent report of a substantial lowering of the Ge I–II transition pressure in a nonhydrostatic pressure environment. We observe the Ge–II (200)‐peak at 10.5±0.2 GPa in a more hydrostatic pressure environment and as low as 6.7 GPa when shear stresses are present. On release of pressure from above 11 GPa, we find that Ge–II converts predominantly into Ge–III when Ge–I and shear stresses are present and completely into Ge–III in the absence of Ge–I in a more hydrostatic pressure environment. This is contrary to what had been previously presumed.