In this brief overview of the history of testicular germ cell tumors, we touch upon the key events and personalities that have contributed to our current understanding of germ cell tumors in general, and those of the testis in particular. The intricacies of human germ cell tumor pathology and histogenesis have been elucidated in part by contributions in the field of experimental pathology and developmental biology. Correlation between clinical oncologic findings, pathology and experimental studies of germ cell tumors and related topics ushered the era of cellular and genetic engineering that have revolutionized contemporary cell and molecular biology.