diff --git a/doc/Makefile b/doc/Makefile
index 4ce8ba9..4127acb 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile
+++ b/doc/Makefile
@@ -3,3 +3,12 @@ all:
 	sgml2html comedilib.sgml
 	sgml2txt comedilib.sgml
 
+messages: .phony
+	xgettext -k_ -k_s $(shell find .. -name '*.c')
+	for i in de;do \
+	  msgmerge po/$$i.po messages.po -o $$i.po; \
+	  msgfmt $$i.po -o $$i/LC_MESSAGES/comedilib.mo; \
+	done
+
+.phony:
+