SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 ---------------
                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                                 (Rule 13d-102)

             INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
             TO RULES 13d-1(b) AND (c) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
                              PURSUANT TO 13d-2(b)
                                (Amendment No. 5)

                         American Financial Group, Inc.
       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                                (Name of Issuer)

                           Common Stock, no par value
       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   025932 10 4
       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                                 (CUSIP Number)

                             James C. Kennedy, Esq.
                             One East Fourth Street
                             Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
                                 (513) 579-2538
       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)



                                Page 1 of 5 Pages



CUSIP NO. 025932 10 4           13G/A             Page 2 of 5 Pages

1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
         The Administrative Plan Committee of The American
         Financial Group, Inc. Retirement and Savings Plan
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*    (a) [ ]
                                                          (b) [ ]
3    SEC USE ONLY

4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
          Ohio

5    NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
     WITH:

         SOLE VOTING POWER
            7,706,141 shares (See Item 2)

6    SHARED VOTING POWER
             - - -

7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
            7,706,141 Shares (See Item 2)

8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
              - - -

9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
      PERSON,
         7,706,141 Shares (See Item 2)

10    CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
      EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*                                [ ]

11    PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
            11.7%

12    TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
              EP



CUSIP NO. 025932 10 4           13G/A             Page 3 of 5 Pages


Item 1(a).            Name of Issuer.

         American Financial Group, Inc.

Item 1(b).            Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Office.

         One East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Item 2(a).            Name of Person Filing.

          The  Administrative  Plan Committee of The American  Financial  Group,
Inc. Retirement and Savings Plan

Item 2(b).            Address of Principal Business Office or, if None,
                      Residence.

         One East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Item 2(c).            Citizenship.

         Not Applicable

Item 2(d).            Title of Class of Securities.

         Common Stock, no par value

Item 2(e).            Cusip Number.

         025932 10 4

Item     3. This  statement is filed  pursuant to Rule  13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) and
         the person filing is an Employee  Benefit  Plan,  Pension Fund which is
         subject to the provisions of the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security
         Act of 1974 or Endowment Fund.




CUSIP NO. 025932 10 4           13G/A             Page 4 of 5 Pages

Item 4.  Ownership.

(a)      Amount Beneficially Owned:                             7,706,141
(b)      Percentage of Class:                                   11.7%
(c)      Number of shares as to which such person has:
         (i)      Sole power to vote or direct the vote:        7,706,141
         (ii)  Shared power to vote or direct the vote:         none
         (iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the
                          disposition of:                       7,706,141
         (iv)  Shared power to dispose or direct the
                          disposition of:                       none

Item 10. Certification.

         By  signing  below I  certify  that,  to the best of my  knowledge  and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of
business  and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of
changing or  influencing  the control of the issuer of such  securities and were
not acquired in connection  with or as a participant in any  transaction  having
such purpose or effect.

         After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best  knowledge and belief of the
undersigned,  it is  hereby  certified  that the  information  set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:  February 5, 2001

         The  Administrative  Plan  Committee of The American  Financial  Group,
                        Inc. Retirement and Savings Plan

                                            By:  Sandra W. Heimann *
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Sandra W. Heimann, Member

                                            By:  Thomas E. Mischell*
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Thomas E. Mischell, Member


Karl J. Grafe
- ----------------------
* By Karl J. Grafe, Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to authority granted in the Powers
of Attorney attached hereto as Exhibit 1.




CUSIP NO. 025932 10 4           13G/A             Page 5 of 5 Pages

Exhibit 1
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         I, Sandra W.  Heimann,  do hereby  appoint James C. Kennedy and Karl J.
Grafe, or either of them, as my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact to sign on my
behalf  individually and as a member of the The Administrative Plan Committee of
The  American  Financial  Group,  Inc.  Retirement  and Savings  Plan (the "Plan
Committee")  and to  file  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  any
schedules or other filings or amendments  thereto made by me or on behalf of the
Plan  Committee  pursuant  to Sections  13(d),  13(f),  13(g),  and 14(d) of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand at Cincinnati,  Ohio as
of the 5th day of November, 1997.

                                            /s/ Sandra W. Heimann
                                            --------------------------------
                                            Sandra W. Heimann


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         I, Thomas E.  Mischell,  do hereby appoint James C. Kennedy and Karl J.
Grafe, or either of them, as my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact to sign on my
behalf  individually and as a member of the The Administrative Plan Committee of
The  American  Financial  Group,  Inc.  Retirement  and Savings  Plan (the "Plan
Committee")  and to  file  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  any
schedules or other filings or amendments  thereto made by me or on behalf of the
Plan  Committee  pursuant  to Sections  13(d),  13(f),  13(g),  and 14(d) of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand at Cincinnati,  Ohio as
of the 5th day of November, 1997.

                                            /s/ Thomas E. Mischell
                                            --------------------------------
                                            Thomas E. Mischell