The formation of solid solutions of the type [Ba(HOC2H4OH)(4)][Ti1-x Ge (x) (OC2H4O)(3)] as Ba(Ti1-x /Ge (x) )O-3 precursors and the phase evolution during thermal decomposition of [Ba(HOC2H4OH)(4)][Ti0.9Ge0.1(OC2H4O)(3)] (1) are described herein. The 1,2-ethanediolato complex 1 decomposes above 589 degrees C to a mixture of BaTiO3 and BaGeO3. A heating rate controlled calcination procedure, up to 730 degrees C, leads to a nm-sized Ba(Ti-0.9/Ge-0.1)O-3 powder (1a) with a specific surface area of S = 16.9 m(2)/g, whereas a constant heating rate calcination at 1,000 degrees C for 2 h yields a powder (1b) of S = 3.0 m(2)/g. The shrinkage and sintering behaviour of the resulting Ba(Ti-0.9/Ge-0.1)O-3 powder compacts in comparison with nm-sized BaTiO3 powder compacts (2a) has been investigated. A two-step sintering procedure of nm-sized Ba(Ti-0.9/Ge-0.1)O-3 compacts (1a) leads, below 900 degrees C, to ceramic bodies with a relative density of <= 90%. Furthermore, the cubic reversible arrow tetragonal phase transition temperature has been detected by dilatometry, and the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant (relative permittivity) has also been measured.