The　crystal　structure　and　magnetic　transition　were　studied　for　the　bulk　Mn(1.1)Fe(0.9)P(0.8)Ge(0.2)　compound　prepared　by　a　simple　blending　and　subsequent　spark　plasma　sintering　route.　X-ray　diffraction　analysis　and　refinement　show　that　the　compound　crystallizes　in　the　hexagonal　Fe(2)P-type　structure,　in　which　the　Mn　atoms　occupy　all　the　3g　sites　and　some　3f　sites,　the　Fe　atoms　occupy　the　rest　of　the　3f　sites,　and　P　and　the　Ge　atoms　randomly　occupy　the　2c　and　1b　sites.　Magnetic　measurement　indicates　that　the　Curie　temperature　T(C)　is　at　253　K　and　the　thermal　hysteresis　of　M-T　curves　at　T(C)　upon　heating　and　cooling,　a　signature　of　a　first-order　magnetic　phase　transition,　is　about　15　K.　The　maximum　magnetic　entropy　change　of　the　compound　reaches　as　high　as　49.2　J/kg　K　in　a　field　change　from　0　to　5　T　at　253　K,　while　the　adiabatic　temperature　change　of　the　compound　reaches　only　1.2　K　in　a　field　change　from　0　to　1.5　T　at　the　same　temperature.　(C)　2009　American　Institute　of　Physics.　[DOI:　10.1063/1.3056157]