  In the global landscape of neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay
search, the use of semiconductor germanium detectors provides many advantages.
The excellent energy resolution, the negligible intrinsic radioactive
contamination, the possibility of enriching the crystals up to 88% in the
$^{76}$Ge isotope as well as the high detection efficiency, are all key
ingredients for highly sensitive $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay search. The MAJORANA
and GERDA experiments successfully implemented the use of germanium (Ge)
semiconductor detectors, reaching an energy resolution of $2.53 \pm 0.08$ keV
at the Q$_{\beta\beta}$ and an unprecedented low background level of $5.2
\times 10^{-4}$ cts/(keV$\cdot$kg$\cdot$yr), respectively. In this paper, we
will review the path of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay search with Ge detectors from
the original idea of E. Fiorini et al. in 1967, to the final recent results of
the GERDA experiment setting a limit on the half-life of $^{76}$Ge
$0\nu\beta\beta$ decay at $T_{1/2} > 1.8 \times 10^{26}$ yr (90\% C.L.). We
will then present the LEGEND project designed to reach a sensitivity to the
half-life up to $10^{28}$ yr and beyond, opening the way to the exploration of
the normal ordering region.
