-----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,
 Mu+l0rOH5bpg63vtywtyXPIMXu+PpnkZrlkE9m+teflbyeg5QR93qxvidkCVu74Y
 yLxDmSaTPB0DDhUd8EMEDg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001037418-03-000011.txt : 20030529
<SEC-HEADER>0001037418-03-000011.hdr.sgml : 20030529
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030529095619
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001037418-03-000011
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030401
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030529

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ASTRIKE GEORGE W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001037418

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15877
		FILM NUMBER:		03722535

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		711 MAIN STREET BOXT
		CITY:			JASPER
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			47546

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LEGRE& BARNES
		STREET 2:		9100 KEYSTONE GROSING SUITE 800

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000714395
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				351547518
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		711 MAIN ST
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 810
		CITY:			JASPER
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			47546
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8124821314

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		711 MAIN STREET
		CITY:			JASPER
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			47546

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GAB BANCORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19950510
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-04-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000714395</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GABC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001037418</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ASTRIKE GEORGE W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CHAIRMAN</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.9524</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-04-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11598</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-04-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-04-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></un
derlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11598</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11598</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Board of Directors of German American Bancorp amended this Replacement Stock Option (which was originally granted on April 9, 2002) as of April 1, 2003 to accelerate the exerciseability of the Option by eight days and to amend the automatic cancellation provision of the Option that otherwise would have been triggered by Mr. Astrike's sale of shares on March 21, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Mark A Schroeder POA for George W Astrike</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument
>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----