Background
He was the second son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, daughter of Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg. In Rudolstadt on 6 August 1825 George Bernhard married Karoline Auguste Louise Amalie (b Rudolstadt, 4 April 1804 - d Rudolstadt, 14 January 1829), daughter of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.