EN
The magnetocaloric effect in RCu_2Ge_2 (R = Dy-Tm) was investigated by means of specific heat measurements. The compounds order antiferromagnetically at 6.2 K (DyCu_2Ge_2), 5.6 K (HoCu_2Ge_2), 3.0 K (ErCu_2Ge_2), and 3.9 K (TmCu_2Ge_2), and some of them exhibit additional magnetic transitions in the ordered state. In an external magnetic field the low-temperature specific heat changes significantly, which can be attributed to metamagnetic-like transitions. In this temperature region, the investigated samples show distinctly different magnetocaloric effect.