Process for preparing germanium compounds of the general formula (Ib) where R1 to R8 are each hydrogen and/or halogen, where the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R1 to R8 denote identical or different radicals in the formula (Ib), with the proviso that at least one of the R1 to R8 radicals is a halogen, and n = 0 or 1, wherein a) a germanium compound of the general formula (IIb) where R9 to R12 are each hydrogen, organyl, where the organyl comprises a linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, linear, branched and/or cyclic alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted aryl and/or corresponding benzyl, and/or halogen, and the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R9 to R12 denote identical or different radicals in the formula (IIb) and n = 1 or 2, - the germanium compound of the formula (IIb) in the presence of one or more compounds of the general formula (IIIb) where R13 to R16 are each hydrogen, organyl, where the organyl comprises a linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, linear, branched and/or cyclic alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted aryl and/or corresponding benzyl, and/or halogen, and the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R13 to R16 denote identical or different radicals of the formula (IIIb) and n = 1 or 2, especially with the proviso that it is a hydrogen-containing compound, is exposed to a nonthermal plasma and b) one or more germanium compounds of the general formula (Ib) are obtained from the resulting phase. a) a germanium compound of the general formula (IIb) where R9 to R12 are each hydrogen, organyl, where the organyl comprises a linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, linear, branched and/or cyclic alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted aryl and/or corresponding benzyl, and/or halogen, and the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R9 to R12 denote identical or different radicals in the formula (IIb) and n = 1 or 2, - the germanium compound of the formula (IIb) in the presence of one or more compounds of the general formula (IIIb) where R13 to R16 are each hydrogen, organyl, where the organyl comprises a linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, linear, branched and/or cyclic alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted aryl and/or corresponding benzyl, and/or halogen, and the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R13 to R16 denote identical or different radicals of the formula (IIIb) and n = 1 or 2, especially with the proviso that it is a hydrogen-containing compound, is exposed to a nonthermal plasma and - the germanium compound of the formula (IIb) in the presence of one or more compounds of the general formula (IIIb) where R13 to R16 are each hydrogen, organyl, where the organyl comprises a linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, linear, branched and/or cyclic alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted aryl and/or corresponding benzyl, and/or halogen, and the halogen is selected from chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, where R13 to R16 denote identical or different radicals of the formula (IIIb) and n = 1 or 2, especially with the proviso that it is a hydrogen-containing compound, is exposed to a nonthermal plasma and b) one or more germanium compounds of the general formula (Ib) are obtained from the resulting phase.