diff --git a/gramps2/ChangeLog b/gramps2/ChangeLog
index 65442fd0a..03b5c1073 100644
--- a/gramps2/ChangeLog
+++ b/gramps2/ChangeLog
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 	* src/plugins/TestcaseGenerator.py: Handle DateError exception
 
 	* src/plugins/ImportGeneWeb.py: Distinguish unknown people
+	
+	* src/DateDisplay.py: Allow B.C.E. in years to be localized
+	* src/dates/Date_de.py: Some more translations including B.C.E.
 
 2005-05-12  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/GrampsBSDDB.py: force database sync on transaction commit
diff --git a/gramps2/src/DateDisplay.py b/gramps2/src/DateDisplay.py
index cee4aa15e..b8ebf5ea5 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/DateDisplay.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/DateDisplay.py
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ class DateDisplay:
     _mod_str = ("","before ","after ","about ","","","")
 
     _qual_str = ("","estimated ","calculated ")
+    
+    _bce_str = "%s B.C.E."
 
     def __init__(self,format=None):
         self.display_cal = [
@@ -172,15 +174,19 @@ class DateDisplay:
             return "%s%s%s%s" % (qual_str,self._mod_str[mod],text,self.calendar[cal])
 
     def _slash_year(self,val,slash):
-        bc = ""
         if val < 0:
             val = - val
-            bc = " B.C.E"
+            # self._bce_str is a localizes string that prints B.C.E. at the apropriate place
+            format_string = self._bce_str
+        else:
+            format_string = "%s"
             
         if slash:
-            return "%d/%d%s" % (val,(val%10)+1,bc)
+            year = "%d/%d" % (val,(val%10)+1)
         else:
-            return "%d%s" % (val,bc)
+            year = "%d" % (val)
+        
+        return format_string % year
         
     def display_iso(self,date_val):
         # YYYY-MM-DD (ISO)
diff --git a/gramps2/src/dates/Date_de.py b/gramps2/src/dates/Date_de.py
index 47b3acbb4..e47ed47cc 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/dates/Date_de.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/dates/Date_de.py
@@ -83,23 +83,33 @@ class DateParserDE(DateParser):
         u'um'     : Date.MOD_ABOUT,
         u'etwa'   : Date.MOD_ABOUT,
         u'circa'  : Date.MOD_ABOUT,
+        u'ca.'  : Date.MOD_ABOUT,
         }
 
     calendar_to_int = {
         u'Gregorianisch'  : Date.CAL_GREGORIAN,
+        u'Greg.'          : Date.CAL_GREGORIAN,
         u'Julianisch'     : Date.CAL_JULIAN,
+        u'Jul.'           : Date.CAL_JULIAN,
         u'Hebräisch'      : Date.CAL_HEBREW,
+        u'Hebr.'          : Date.CAL_HEBREW,
         u'Islamisch'      : Date.CAL_ISLAMIC,
-        u'Französischer Republikaner': Date.CAL_FRENCH,
+        u'Isl.'           : Date.CAL_ISLAMIC,
+        u'Französisch Republikanisch': Date.CAL_FRENCH,
+        u'Franz.'         : Date.CAL_FRENCH,
         u'Persisch'       : Date.CAL_PERSIAN,
         }
 
     quality_to_int = {
         u'geschätzt' : Date.QUAL_ESTIMATED,
+        u'gesch.'    : Date.QUAL_ESTIMATED,
         u'errechnet' : Date.QUAL_CALCULATED,
         u'berechnet' : Date.QUAL_CALCULATED,
+        u'ber.'      : Date.QUAL_CALCULATED,
         }
 
+    bce = DateParser.bce + ["vor (unserer|der) Zeit(rechnung)?", "v\. (u|d)\. Z\.", "vor Christus", "vor Christi Geburt", "v\. Chr\."]
+    
     def init_strings(self):
         DateParser.init_strings(self)
         self._span  = re.compile("(von|vom)\s+(.+)\s+(bis)\s+(.+)",re.IGNORECASE)
@@ -121,6 +131,7 @@ class DateDisplayDE(DateDisplay):
     
     _qual_str = ("",u"geschätzt ",u"errechnet ")
     
+    _bce_str = "%s v. u. Z."
 
     formats = (
         "JJJJ-MM-DD (ISO)", "Numerisch", "Monat Tag Jahr",