Final answer:
Germanium is not magnetic due to its semi-metallic properties and covalent bonding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Germanium, a semi-metal element, does not display magnetic properties. Unlike ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt, nickel, and gadolinium, germanium lacks the necessary characteristics for magnetic behavior. Its atomic structure, tending towards covalent bonding, prevents the alignment of magnetic moments essential for magnetism.
Germanium's non-magnetic nature distinguishes it from elements with strong magnetic effects. While some materials exhibit ferromagnetism due to aligned atomic magnetic moments, germanium, with its semi-metallic and covalent nature, remains outside the category of materials displaying magnetic behavior.