The radioactive background in two 1.1-kg Ge detectors was significantly reduced by material selection and careful control of fabrication of both the germanium crystals. The isotopes 57,58Co and 65Zn, formed cosmogenically in the crystals, were reduced by minimizing the time between the final between the final zone refinement, crystal growth, installation in the cryostat, and placement underground. An attempt was made to reduce the background from the decay of 68Ge in the detectors by deep mining the ore, rushing it through the refinement, crystal growing, and detector fabrication processes, and storing the germanium underground at all times it was not "in process". Cosmogenically formed 54Mn, 59Fe, and 56,57,58,60Co in the cryostat were minimized by electroforming the cryostat parts. The ubiquitous background from primordial 40K in electronic components was virtually eliminated by selecting low-background components and by hiding the first-stage preamplifier behind 2.5 cm of 450-yr-old lead in one unit and special low-background lead in the other. Details of the procedures used are discussed. © 1990.