8-K

	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
	WASHINGTON, DC  20549

	__________


	FORM 8-K

	CURRENT REPORT
	PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
	SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)    
October 3, 1996	                                                      


	GENERAL RE CORPORATION	
	(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

	Delaware	1-8026	06-1026471	
	(State or Other Jurisdiction	(Commission	
(IRS Employer of Incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)


Financial Centre, P.O. Box 10350, Stamford, Connecticut	06904-2350		 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code) 

 (203) 328-5000	
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not applicable				
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


Item 5.  Other Events.

	On  October 3, 1996, pursuant to the Agreement and 
Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of July 
1, 1996, by and among General Re Corporation, a Delaware 
corporation ("General Re"), N Acquisition Corporation, a 
Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of 
General Re ("Sub"), and National Re Corporation, a former 
Delaware corporation ("National Re"), National Re was 
merged with and into Sub (the "Merger") with Sub as the 
surviving corporation.  Immediately following the Merger, 
the name of the surviving corporation was changed to 
"National Re Corporation".  As a result of the Merger, 
each share of National Re common stock, no par value per 
share (the "Shares"), was converted into the right to receive, 
in accordance with the elections filed by the stockholders 
of National Re, (a) $53.00 per Share in cash, without 
interest thereon, or (b) .37262 shares of General Re's 
common stock, par value $.50 per share, for each Share.  
Stockholders of National Re who did not submit valid 
elections will be entitled to receive .37262 shares of 
General Re's common stock for each Share. 

	A copy of the press release issued by General Re 
announcing the consummation of the Merger is attached 
hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by 
reference in its entirety.

Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial 
Information and Exhibits.

		(c)  Exhibits.

99.1		Text of Press Release issued by General Re 
Corporation on October 3, 1996 announcing the 
consummation of the Merger.  


	SIGNATURES

		Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this 
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned 
hereunto duly authorized.


Dated: October 3, 1996

		GENERAL RE CORPORATION


		By: 	/s/ ELIZABETH A. MONRAD
			Elizabeth A. Monrad
			Vice President and Treasurer

EX-99.1

	EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit	Description

99.1			Text of Press Release issued by 
General Re Corporation on October 3, 1996 announcing 
the consummation of the Merger.  














                                                      Exhibit 99.1




News Release
				For more information, call:
For Immediate Release
October 3, 1996

Katherine E. Stallfort
(203) 328-5780
Deborah C. Nelson
(203) 328-6448







GENERAL RE CORPORATION REPORTS 
CLOSING ON NATIONAL RE CORPORATION 
ACQUISITION

Stamford, CT, October 3, 1996
GENERAL RE CORPORATION announces today that it has 
completed its acquisition of National Re Corporation.  
Commenting on the closing, Ronald E. Ferguson, General 
Re's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I am 
pleased that the transaction has closed so that we can move 
ahead with combining our operations with National Re's.  
All of us at General Re welcome our new colleagues and 
clients, and we enthusiastically look forward to working 
together."  As previously disclosed, each shareholder of 
National Re common stock will receive, depending 
upon the shareholder's election, either $53 in cash or .37262 
shares of General Re common stock for each National Re 
share.  Approximately 35% of National Re shareholders 
elected to receive cash, and the remaining 65% will receive 
shares of General Re common stock.  General Re will 
issue approximately 4,026,000 shares of common stock 
as a result of these elections and will pay cash consideration 
totalling approximately $308 million.General Re Corporation 
is a holding company for global reinsurance and related risk 
assessment, risk transfer and risk management operations.  
General Re owns General Reinsurance Corporation, the 
largest professional property/casualty reinsurer domiciled 
in the United States, and also holds a controlling interest in 
Kolnische Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG (Cologne 
Re), a major international reinsurer.  In addition, General 
Re writes excess and surplus lines insurance through 
General Star Management Company, provides alternative 
risk solutions through Genesis Underwriting Management 
Company and provides reinsurance brokerage 
services through Herbert Clough Inc.  General Re also 
operates as a dealer in the swap and derivatives markets 
through General Re Financial Products Corporation.  In 
addition, General Re provides investment management 
services through General Re-New England Asset 
Management, Inc.National Re Corporation, through its 
wholly owned subsidiary, National Reinsurance 
Corporation, provides property and casualty reinsurance 
to insurers on a direct basis.  Headquartered in Stamford, 
Connecticut, National Re has eight domestic offices serving
clients nationwide and international offices in Canada and 
the United Kingdom.