Monoiodogermylene has been detected for the first time using pulsed discharge and laser-induced fluorescence techniques. HGeI and DGeI were produced by an electric discharge through argon seeded with H3GeI or D3GeI. Although the vibronic structure in the spectra was very limited, all three excited state vibrational frequencies have been obtained for both isotopomers. Analysis of the partially resolved rotational structure of the 0(0)(0) bands gave the following approximate r(0) structures, with the bond angles constrained to previous ab initio values : r(0)(n)(Ge-I) = 2.525(10) Angstrom, r(0)(n)(H-Ge) = 1.593(15) Angstrom, theta(0)"(HGeI) = 93.5 degrees, r(0)＇(Ge-I) = 2.515(10) Angstrom, r(0)＇(H-Ge) = 1.618(15) Angstrom, and theta(0)＇(HGeI) = 116.2 degrees. The fluorescence lifetime of monoiodogermylene in the lowest rovibronic levels is 1.515 +/- 0.004 mu s and shows significant variations on deuteration and with rotational and vibrational level.