The regio-and stereoselective addition of germanium and zinc across the CC triple bond of nitrogen-, sulfur-, oxygen-, and phosphorous-substituted terminal and internal alkynes is achieved by reaction with a combination of R 3 GeH and Et 2 Zn. Diagnostic experiments support a radical-chain mechanism and the -zincated vinylgermanes that show exceptional stability are characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The unique feature of this new radical germylzincation reaction is that the C(sp 2)-Zn bond formed remains available for subsequent in situ Cu(I)-or Pd(0)-mediated CC or C-heteroatom bond formation with retention of the double bond geometry. These protocols offer a modular access to elaborated tri-and tetrasubstituted vinylgermanes decorated with heteroatom substituents to germanium that are useful for the preparation of stereodefined alkenes. Additional data and discussion, experimental details, NMR spectra for new compounds, and X-ray crystal structures (PDF) Crystallographic information files (CIF)