He was the second son of Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Judith, daughter of Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt.
[1][2][3] In 1405, after the death of his father,[4] George inherited the principality of Anhalt-Dessau alongside his older brother Waldemar IV and his younger brothers Sigismund II and Albert V. By 1435, he adopted the style "Lord of Zerbst and Dessau" and styled himself "Lord of Köthen" from 1460.
George renounced his rights, however, in favor of his eldest son Waldemar VI, who became the new co-ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen.
They had six daughters: After 1442, George married for a third time to Sophie (d. 1451), possibly a member of the House of Hohnstein.
1430 – d. Lippehne, 9 July 1513), daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindow-Ruppin and his wife Anna of Sagan (d. of Jan I of Żagań).