Germ granules are hallmarks of all germ cells. Early ultrastructural studies in Drosophila first described these membraneless granules in the oocyte and early embryo as filled with amorphous to fibrillar material mixed with RNA. Genetic studies identified key protein components and specific mRNAs that regulate germ cell‐specific functions. More recently these ultrastructural studies have been complemented by biophysical analysis describing germ granules as phase‐transitioned condensates. In this review, we provide an overview that connects the composition of germ granules with their function in controlling germ cell specification, formation and migration, and illuminate these mysterious condensates as the gatekeepers of the next generation. Germ granules are a hallmark of all species. In Drosophila, they form by scaffold proteins during oogenesis and persist into embryogenesis. They recruit effector mRNAs and piRNAs, which instruct the germ cell fate. mRNAs specifically translated in germ granules control the formation, number, survival and migration of PGCs and regulate their gene expression. piRNAs help recruit mRNAs and once specified, protect the germline genome from transposon‐induced DNA damage. Drosophila germ granules are therefore biologically active droplets that provide continuity of the species.