<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-30</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000931148</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GTI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001120330</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MASON SCOTT C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Pres., Graphite Power Systems</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>99</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.31</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1542</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Savings Plan.</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1642</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Savings Plan.</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents the number of units attributable to the reporting person's participation through Company matching contributions in the Company Stock Fund option of the UCAR Carbon Savings Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person also directly beneficially owns 16,753 shares.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The Reporting Person also beneficially owns options to purchase Common Stock with the following numbers of shares of Common Stock covered, exercise prices, vesting dates and expiration dates:  150,000, $13.19, 50,000 on 4/3/01, 100,000 on 4/3/07 and 50,000 unvested shares on each of the dates, if any, on which a certain stock price target is achieved, 9/29/08; 80,000, $8.56, 12/15/02, 12/15/10; 87,000, $8.85, 15,000 on 9/25/01 and 72,000 on 9/25/03, 9/25/11.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Corrado F. De Gasperis, Attorney-in-fact for Scott C. Mason</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

