Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
PRETORIUS HERMANUS LAMBERTUS
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD [GTI]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP, Pres. Engineered Solutions
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD., 12900 SNOW ROAD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/15/2008
(Street)

PARMA, OH 44130
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/15/2008   A   15,000 A $ 0 15,000 D (1)  
Common Stock               15,672 D (2)  
Common Stock               17,585 D (3)  
Common Stock               1,741 I By Savings Plan (4)
Common Stock               2,189 I By Compensation Deferral Plan (5)
Common Stock               12,000 D (6)  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Time options (right to buy) $ 14               (7) 02/28/2010 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Time options (right to buy) $ 8.56               (7) 12/15/2010 Common Stock 2,500   2,500 D  
Time options (right to buy) $ 8.85               (7) 09/25/2011 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
PRETORIUS HERMANUS LAMBERTUS
C/O GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD.
12900 SNOW ROAD
PARMA, OH 44130
      VP, Pres. Engineered Solutions  

Signatures

 /s/Mark R. Widmar, Attorney in Fact for Hermanus L. Pretorius   12/17/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On December 15, 2008, the Company granted 15,000 performance shares under the Company's Management Long Term Incentive Program, which represent the right to receive shares contingent upon the achievement of one or more performance measures. Shares that are earned upon the attainment of applicable performance targets shall vest on February 29, 2012. The ultimate number of shares is subject to adjustment based on actual peformance.
(2) On August 31, 2005, the Company granted 20,000 restricted shares under the Company's Long Term Incentive Plan, all of which have vested as of August 31, 2008. The holdings are net of shares previously withheld or sold, under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, to cover withholding taxes.
(3) On October 23, 2006, the Company granted 20,000 restricted shares under the Company's Management Long Term Incentive Program, all of which will cliff vest in February 2010, subject to accelerated vesting in equal thirds in February of each of 2008, 2009 and 2010, if certain performance targets are met. One-third of such shares vested in February 2008. The holdings are net of shares previously withheld or sold, under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, to cover withholding taxes.
(4) Represents the number of shares attributable to the reporting person's participation in the Company Stock Fund option of the GrafTech International Savings Plan.
(5) Represents obligations whose value is based on the Common Stock through a contribution, exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c), under the Company's Compensation Deferral Program. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities.
(6) On October 4, 2007, the Company granted 12,000 restricted shares under the Company's Management Long Term Incentive Program. One-third of the restricted shares shall vest on each of February 27, 2009, February 26, 2010, and February 28, 2011, but only if certain performance targets are met.
(7) All such options have fully vested.

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