How about using "txi-de.tex" from CTAN (e.g. http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/texinfo/texinfo/doc/?action=/tex-archive/macros/texinfo/texinfo/ ) in order to get umlauts, etc.? I've seen Spanish people using "txi-es.tex", but I never used it on my own. Cheers, carleos