[en] The quaternary rare earth nickel aluminum germanide series RENiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ (RE = Y, Sm, Gd–Tm, Lu) has been extended by several members. The compounds were synthesized from the elements by arc-melting, and single crystals of YNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$, GdNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$, and LuNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ were grown from an aluminum flux. All members crystallize isostructurally in the rhombohedral SmNiAl4Ge2-type structure (R$\stackrel{¯<!--\; ??\; -->}{3}$m, Z = 3). The compounds can be described as a stacking of RE${}^{\mathrm{\delta <!--\; ??\; -->}+}$ and [NiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$]${}^{\mathrm{\delta <!--\; ??\; -->}-<!--\; ???\; -->}$ slabs with an ABC stacking sequence, or alternatively as stacking of CsCl and CdI${}_2$ building blocks. The results of the magnetic measurements indicate that all rare earth atoms are in a trivalent oxidation state. Of the RENiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$ series, the members with RE = Sm, Gd-Dy exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering with a maximum Néel temperature of T${}_N$ = 16.4(1) K observed for GdNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$. ${}^{27}$Al NMR spectroscopic investigations yielded spectra with two distinct signals, in line with the crystal structure, however, significantly different resonance frequencies of δ${}_{iso}$${}^{ms}$(YNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$) = 77(1) and 482(1) ppm as well as δ${}_{iso}$${}^{ms}$(LuNiAl${}_4$Ge${}_2$) = 90(1) and 467(1) ppm were observed. These indicate significantly different s-electron densities at the two crystallographically different Al atoms, in line with the results from DFT calculations. The Bader charge analysis confirms that the present compounds must be considered as germanides, as expected from the relative electronegativities of the constituent elements, while the low charges on Al and Y indicate significant covalent bonding.