diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e69de29..b844b14 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Gemfile.lock
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/latex.rb b/features/step_definitions/latex.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aba45b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/step_definitions/latex.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+When /^I decode the string '([^']*)'$/ do |string|
+  @result = LaTeX.decode(string)
+end
+
+Then /^the result should be '([^']*)'$/ do |value|
+  @result.should == value
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/features/support/env.rb b/features/support/env.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85d46ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/support/env.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require 'latex/decode'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/features/umlauts.feature b/features/umlauts.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4aff357
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/umlauts.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Feature: Decode LaTeX umlauts
+	As a hacker who works with LaTeX
+	I want to be able to decode LaTeX umlauts
+	
+	Scenario: German umlauts
+		When I decode the string '\"a\"o\"u'
+		Then the result should be 'äöü'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/latex/decode.rb b/lib/latex/decode.rb
index e6bf50c..4903e96 100644
--- a/lib/latex/decode.rb
+++ b/lib/latex/decode.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+# coding: utf-8
 
 require 'latex/decode/version'
 
 module LaTeX
   class << self
     def decode (string)
-      string
+      return string unless string.is_a? String
+      
+      string.gsub(/\\"a/, 'ä').gsub(/\\"o/, 'ö').gsub(/\\"u/, 'ü')
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file