diff --git a/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/bin/grml-lang b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/bin/grml-lang
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..da6d877fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/bin/grml-lang
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Filename:      grml-lang
+# Purpose:       load specific keyboard layout settings
+# Authors:       grml-team (grml.org), (c) Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>
+# Bug-Reports:   see http://grml.org/bugs/
+# License:       This file is licensed under the GPL v2.
+################################################################################
+
+CONFFILE=/etc/default/keyboard
+PN="$(basename "$0")"
+
+usage(){
+    echo "Usage: ${PN} <language>"
+    echo "supported values: at, ch, de, dvorak, es, fr, it, jp, uk, us"
+}
+
+setvalue(){
+  [ -n "$2" ] || return 1
+  sudo sed -i "s#^${1}=.*#${1}=\"${2}\"#" "${CONFFILE}"
+}
+
+if [ $# -lt "1" ] ; then
+   usage >&2
+   exit 1
+fi
+
+LANGUAGE="$1"
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+. /etc/grml/language-functions
+
+if [ -n "$XKEYBOARD" ] ; then
+  setvalue XKBLAYOUT "$XKEYBOARD"
+fi
+
+if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] ;then
+  if [ "$1" = "de" ] ; then
+    echo "Loading keymap for Germany..."
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwertz/de-latin1-nodeadkeys.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "at" ] ; then
+    echo "Loading keymap for Austria..."
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwertz/de-latin1-nodeadkeys.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "ch" ] ; then
+    echo "Loading keymap for Switzerland..."
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwertz/sg-latin1.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "it" ] ; then
+    echo "Loading keymap for Italy..."
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwerty/it.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "us" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap us...'
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwerty/us-latin1.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "dvorak" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap dvorak...'
+    sudo loadkeys dvorak
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "jp" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap jp...'
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwerty/jp106.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "es" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap es...'
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwerty/es.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "fr" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap fr...'
+    sudo loadkeys i386/azerty/fr.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  elif [ "$1" = "uk" ] ; then
+    echo 'Loading keymap uk...'
+    sudo loadkeys i386/qwerty/uk.kmap.gz
+    echo -e "\nDone."
+  else echo "No valid parameter given.
+
+Notice: Use loadkeys on console and setxkbmap when running X for
+modifying keyboard layout. Adjust \$LANG and \$LC_ALL for setting locales." ; exit 1
+  fi
+  # switch to unicode mode on console
+  case $LANG in *UTF-8) kbd_mode -u ; ;; esac
+else
+  if [ $# = 0 ] ; then
+     usage
+  else
+    if [ "$1" = "de" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap for Germany..."
+      if [ -r "${HOME}"/.Xmodmap.german ] ; then
+        xmodmap "${HOME}"/.Xmodmap.german || setxkbmap de
+      else
+        setxkbmap de
+      fi
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "at" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap for Austria..."
+      setxkbmap de
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "ch" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap for Switzerland..."
+      setxkbmap ch
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "it" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap for Italy..."
+      setxkbmap it
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "jp" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap for Japan..."
+      setxkbmap -model jp106 -layout jp
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "dvorak" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap dvorak..."
+      setxkbmap dvorak
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1"  = "us" ] ; then
+      echo 'Loading keymap us...'
+      if [ -r "${HOME}"/.Xmodmap ] ; then
+        xmodmap "${HOME}"/.Xmodmap || setxkbmap us
+      else
+        setxkbmap us
+      fi
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "es" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap es..."
+      setxkbmap es
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "fr" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap fr..."
+      setxkbmap fr
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    elif [ "$1" = "uk" ] ; then
+      echo "Loading keymap gb for uk..."
+      setxkbmap gb
+      echo -e "\nDone."
+    else
+      echo "No valid parameter given."
+      echo
+      usage
+      echo
+      echo "Notice: Use loadkeys on console and setxkbmap when running X for
+modifying keyboard layout. Adjust \$LANG and \$LC_ALL for setting locales." ; exit 1
+    fi
+  fi
+fi
+
+## END OF FILE #################################################################
diff --git a/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/sbin/grml-setlang b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/sbin/grml-setlang
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..4a15d5cf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/sbin/grml-setlang
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Filename:      grml-setlang
+# Purpose:       set language system-wide on grml system
+# Authors:       grml-team (grml.org), (c) Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>
+# Bug-Reports:   see http://grml.org/bugs/
+# License:       This file is licensed under the GPL v2.
+################################################################################
+
+PN="$(basename "$0")"
+DIALOG=dialog
+LANGFUNC=/etc/grml/language-functions
+
+# notice: Debian's locales.postinst has been modified to write
+# locale variables into /etc/default/locale instead of
+# /etc/environment; the latter file is a PAM configuration file,
+# so modifying it was a policy violation.
+CONFFILE=/etc/default/locale
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+{
+. /etc/grml/script-functions
+. /etc/grml/lsb-functions
+}
+
+check4root || exit 100
+
+eindent # as we are running inside grml boot sequence as well make sure we integrate fine
+
+# allow writing $CONFFILE non-interactive via "grml-setlang $LANGUAGE"
+if [ -n "$1" ] ; then
+   NONINTERACTIVE=1
+else
+   NONINTERACTIVE=''
+fi
+
+if ! [ -r "$LANGFUNC" ] ; then
+   echo "$LANGFUNC could not be read. Make sure you have package grml-autoconfig installed." >&2
+   exit 1
+fi
+
+setvalue(){
+  [ -n "$2" ] || return 1
+  # already present in conffile?
+  if grep -q "^${1}" "$CONFFILE" ; then
+     sed -i "s#^${1}.*#${1}${2}#"  $CONFFILE
+  # is the new Debian style /etc/default/locale present?
+  elif grep -q "^# ${1}$" "$CONFFILE" ; then
+     # shellcheck disable=SC1117
+     sed -i "s#^\# ${1}#${1}${2}#" $CONFFILE
+  else
+     echo "$1${2}" >> $CONFFILE
+  fi
+}
+
+# grml-small does not provide any further locales
+if grep -q small /etc/grml_version 2>/dev/null ; then
+   if [ -z "$NONINTERACTIVE" ] ; then
+      LANG=C $DIALOG --stdout --msgbox "Notice: grml-small does not provide a full language setup.
+
+You have to make sure the appropriate packages are installed." 0 0
+      exit 1
+   else
+      esyslog user.notice "$PN" 'grml-small does not provide a full language setup.'
+   fi
+fi
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+{
+[ -r /etc/environment ]    && . /etc/environment
+[ -r /etc/default/locale ] && . /etc/default/locale
+}
+[ -n "$LANGUAGE" ] && DEFAULT_LANGUAGE="$LANGUAGE"
+
+if [ -z "$DEFAULT_LANGUAGE" ] ; then
+   DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=en
+fi
+
+if [ -z "$NONINTERACTIVE" ] ; then
+# shellcheck disable=SC1010
+{
+   LANGUAGE=$(LANG=C $DIALOG --stdout --title "$PN" --default-item $DEFAULT_LANGUAGE --radiolist \
+"Which language do you want to use?
+
+This will affect \$LANG, \$LANGUAGE and \$LC_MESSAGES.
+
+Notice: if you want to adjust /etc/locale.gen (defines
+which locales should be generated by locale-gen)
+please run 'dpkg-reconfigure locales' manually.
+
+Configuration will be written to $CONFFILE" 0 0 0 \
+ at 'austria (unicode version)' off \
+ at-iso 'austrian (iso version)' off \
+ au 'austrial (unicode version)' off \
+ au-iso 'australian (iso version)' off \
+ be 'belgian (unicode version)' off \
+ be-iso 'belgian (iso version)' off \
+ bg 'bulgarian (unicode version)' off \
+ bg-iso 'bulgarian (iso version)' off \
+ br 'brazilian (unicode version)' off \
+ br-iso 'brazilian (iso version)' off \
+ ch 'swiss (unicode version)' off \
+ ch-iso 'swiss (iso version)' off \
+ cf 'french canadian' off \
+ cn 'chinese (unicode version)' off \
+ cn-iso 'chinese (iso version)' off \
+ cs 'czech (unicode version)' off \
+ cs-iso 'czech (iso version)' off \
+ cz 'czech (unicode version)' off \
+ cz-iso 'czech (iso version)' off \
+ de 'german (unicode version)' off \
+ de-iso 'german (iso version)' off \
+ dk 'dansk (unicode version)' off \
+ dk-iso 'dansk (iso version)' off \
+ da 'dansk (unicode version)' off \
+ da-iso 'dansk (iso version)' off \
+ el 'greek (unicode version)' off \
+ el-iso 'greek (iso version)' off \
+ en 'english [us] (unicode version, grml default)' on \
+ en-iso 'english [us] (iso version)' off \
+ es 'spanish (unicode version)' off \
+ es-iso 'spanish (iso version)' off \
+ fi 'finnish (unicode version)' off \
+ fi-iso 'finnish (iso version)' off \
+ fr 'frensh (unicode version)' off \
+ fr-iso 'frensh (iso version)' off \
+ ga 'irish gaeilge (unicode version)' off \
+ ga-iso 'irish gaeilge (iso version)' off \
+ he 'hebrew (unicode version)' off \
+ he-iso 'hebrew (iso version)' off \
+ il 'hebrew (unicode version)' off \
+ il-iso 'hebrew (iso version)' off \
+ ie 'irish (unicode version)' off \
+ ie-iso 'irish (iso version)' off \
+ it 'italian (unicode version)' off \
+ it-iso 'italian (iso version)' off \
+ ja 'japanese (unicode version)' off \
+ ja-iso 'japanese (iso version)' off \
+ nl 'dutch (unicode version)' off \
+ nl-iso 'dutch (iso version)' off \
+ pl 'polish (unicode version)' off \
+ pl-iso 'polisch (iso version)' off \
+ pt 'portuguese (unicode version)' off \
+ pt-iso 'portuguese (iso version)' off \
+ ru 'russian (unicode version)' off \
+ ru-iso 'russian (iso version)' off \
+ sk 'slovak (unicode version)' off \
+ sk-iso 'slovak (iso version)' off \
+ sl 'slovenian (unicode version)' off \
+ sl-iso 'slovenian (iso version)' off \
+ tr 'turkish (unicode version)' off \
+ tr-iso 'turkish (iso version)' off \
+ tw 'chinese (traditional) (unicode version)' off \
+ tw-iso 'chinese (traditional) (iso version)' off \
+ uk 'british (unicode version)' off \
+ uk-iso 'british (iso version)' off \
+ us 'american (unicode version)' off \
+ us-iso 'american (iso version)' off \
+)
+}
+
+  retval=$?
+  case $retval in
+      (0)   # everything ok
+            ;;
+      (1)   echo "Cancel pressed." ; exit 1 ;;
+      (255) echo "ESC pressed."    ; exit 1 ;;
+  esac
+
+else # non-interactive
+  LANGUAGE="$1"
+fi
+
+if ! grep -qe "${LANGUAGE})" -qe "${LANGUAGE}|" $LANGFUNC ; then
+   ewarn "Language ${LANGUAGE} not supported, using default." ; eend 0
+fi
+
+# fallback to C if using an ISO system (which is latin1 for LC_CTYPE);
+# this should prevent users from broken ctype settings if the set
+# locale isn't available on a remote system
+if echo "$LANGUAGE" | grep -q -- '-iso' ; then
+   LC_CTYPE=C
+fi
+
+# read in the file where all the $LANGUAGE stuff is defined
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+. $LANGFUNC
+
+# make sure the file exists
+if ! [ -r $CONFFILE ] ; then
+cat > $CONFFILE <<EOF
+# File generated by $PN on $(date)
+LANG=$LANG
+# LC_CTYPE=$LC_CTYPE
+# LANGUAGE=$LANGUAGE
+# TZ=$TZ
+# other environment variables you might want to set:
+# LC_NUMERIC LC_TIME LC_COLLATE LC_MONETARY
+# LC_MESSAGES LC_PAPER LC_NAME LC_ADDRESS
+# LC_TELEPHONE LC_MEASUREMENT LC_IDENTIFICATION
+#
+# Note: set LC_ALL to overwrite all LC_* variables
+#       LC_ALL > LC_* > LANG
+#       LANGUAGE is glibc only and binds stronger than LC_ALL
+EOF
+fi
+
+setvalue 'LANG='     "$LANG"
+
+retval=$?
+case $retval in
+    (0)
+          if [ -z "$NONINTERACTIVE" ] ; then
+             LANG=C $DIALOG --stdout --msgbox "Writing language settings ($LANGUAGE) to $CONFFILE was successful." 0 0
+          else
+             einfo "Writing language settings ($LANGUAGE) to $CONFFILE was successful."
+             esyslog user.notice "$PN" "Writing language settings ($LANGUAGE) to $CONFFILE was successful." ; eend 0
+          fi
+          ;;
+    *)
+          if [ -z "$NONINTERACTIVE" ] ; then
+             LANG=C $DIALOG --stdout --msgbox "Error writing settings for $LANGUAGE to $CONFFILE." 0 0
+          else
+             eerror "Error writing settings for $LANGUAGE to $CONFFILE." ; eend 1
+             esyslog user.notice "$PN" "Error writing settings for $LANGUAGE to $CONFFILE."
+          fi
+          ;;
+esac
+
+eoutdent
+
+## END OF FILE #################################################################
diff --git a/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/share/man/man8/grml-setlang.8 b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/share/man/man8/grml-setlang.8
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d9ec41a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/files/GRMLBASE/usr/share/man/man8/grml-setlang.8
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+.TH grml-setlang 8
+.SH "NAME"
+grml-setlang \- set language system-wide on grml system
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.B grml-setlang
+.RI " [ <language> ] "
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+This manual page documents briefly the
+.B grml-setlang
+command.
+.SH OPTIONS
+If you invoke grml-setlang without any further options you will get a
+dialog based configuration frontend.  If you invoke grml-setlang with one
+option, grml-setlang will take the first option as input for regenerating
+/etc/default/locale according to the definitions in
+/etc/grml/language-functions. If the provided option is not supported the
+default (en_US) will be taken.
+.SH USAGE EXAMPLES
+.TP
+.B grml-setlang de
+Write german environment variables LANGUAGE, LANG, LC_MESSAGES, COUNTRY, CHARSET and TZ into /etc/default/locales.
+.TP
+.B grml-setlang at-utf8
+Write austrian environment variables LANGUAGE, LANG, LC_MESSAGES, COUNTRY, CHARSET and TZ with unicode/utf8-support into /etc/default/locales.
+.SH AUTHOR
+grml-setlang was written by Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>.
+.PP
+This manual page was written by Michael Prokop
+<mika@grml.org> for the grml project (but may be used by others).
diff --git a/config/scripts/GRMLBASE/01-autoconfig b/config/scripts/GRMLBASE/01-autoconfig
index b4fa30972..b876e5769 100755
--- a/config/scripts/GRMLBASE/01-autoconfig
+++ b/config/scripts/GRMLBASE/01-autoconfig
@@ -28,5 +28,9 @@ fcopy -m root,root,0755 -v /usr/bin/restore-config
 fcopy -m root,root,0755 -v /usr/bin/save-config
 fcopy -m root,root,0755 -v /usr/sbin/grml-autoconfig
 
+fcopy -m root,root,0755 -v /usr/bin/grml-lang
+fcopy -m root,root,0755 -v /usr/sbin/grml-setlang
+fcopy -m root,root,0644 -v /usr/share/man/man8/grml-setlang.8
+
 ## END OF FILE #################################################################
 # vim:ft=sh expandtab ai tw=80 tabstop=4 shiftwidth=2