-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 O5rQT4+63VClvF4+fDCzR8TWq8mKNBYTVSZzdaefB0it8MD84B5n4iDRSgmLbS9j
 NoCIFwrzr7E37zLpF3drfA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-026737.txt : 20031016
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-026737.hdr.sgml : 20031016
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031016143032
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-026737
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031015
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031016

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			OLDERMAN DAVID J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001231199

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00566
		FILM NUMBER:		03943601

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		425 WINTER RD
		CITY:			DELAWARE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			43015

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GREIF INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000043920
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PAPERBOARD CONTAINERS & BOXES [2650]
		IRS NUMBER:				314388903
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		425 WINTER ROAD
		CITY:			DELAWARE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			43015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7405496000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		425 WINTER ROAD
		CITY:			DELAWARE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			43015

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GREIF BROTHERS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GREIF BROTHERS COOPERAGE CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19690820
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd20472.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-15</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000043920</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GREIF INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GEF,GEF.B</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231199</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OLDERMAN DAVID J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>425 WINTER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DELAWARE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>43015</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>31.30</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwner
ship><value>See footnote</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.00</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6060</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See footnote</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></owne
rshipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40014</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1,000 shares sold from each of the following trusts:  Jeanne Olderman Trust; Jill Olderman Trust; and David Olderman Trust.  Mr. Olderman is the trustee of each trust..</footnote><footnote id="F2">These shares are owned by the reporting person's self-directed profit sharing plan.</footnote><footnote id="F3">1000 shares purchasesd for each of the following trusts: the Jeanne Olderman Trust; the Jill Olderman Trust and the David Olderman Trust.  Mr. Olderman is the trustee of each trust.</footnote><footnote id="F4">800 shares are owned by the reporting person's spouse; 2,260 s
hares are owned by the reporting person's self directed profit sharing plan; 1000 shares by the Jeanne  Olderman Trust; 1000 shares by the Jill Olderman Trust and 1000 shares by the David Olderman Trust.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>David J. Olderman by John K. Dieker pursuant to a POA filed with the Commission</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-16</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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