The optical spectrum of jet-cooled Ge-2 has been observed for the first time. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and wavelength resolved emission spectra were recorded using the pulsed discharge technique with a tetramethylgermane precursor. Analysis of the spectra yielded the vibrational constants omega(e)"=287.9(47), omega(e)x(e)"=0.81(55), omega(e)y(e)"=0.0037(18), omega(e)'=189.0(15), omega(e)x(e)'=6.41(30), and T-e'=20 610.8(16) cm(-1). High-resolution rotationally resolved spectra of several bands of Ge-74(2) show two strong P and R branches and two very weak Q branches. We have assigned the band system as a Hund's case (c) Omega'=1-Omega"=1 transition from the ground (3)Sigma(g)(-) state to a (3)Sigma(u)(-) excited state. The bond lengths derived from the rotational constants are r(0)"=2.3680(1) Angstrom and r(e)"=2.5244(18) Angstrom, an similar to0.16 Angstrom increase on electronic excitation. Arguments are presented for assigning the transition to a sigma(g)(2)pi(u)(2)-->sigma(g)(2)pi(u)pi(g) electron promotion, although the observed increase in the bond length is much less than predicted by previous ab initio calculations. The absence of the 0(u)(+)-0(g)(+) component in the spectra has been attributed to an excited state predissociation.