diff --git a/Modules/_localemodule.c b/Modules/_localemodule.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..14a22f32dff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Modules/_localemodule.c
@@ -0,0 +1,355 @@
+/***********************************************************
+Copyright (C) 1997 Martin von Löwis
+
+Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
+documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
+provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies.
+
+This software comes with no warranty. Use at your own risk.
+******************************************************************/
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <locale.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include "Python.h"
+
+static char locale__doc__[]="Support for POSIX locales.";
+
+static PyObject *Error;
+
+/* support functions for formatting floating point numbers */
+
+static char setlocale__doc__[]=
+"(integer,string=None) -> string. Activates/queries locale processing."
+;
+
+/* to record the LC_NUMERIC settings */
+static PyObject* grouping=0;
+static PyObject* thousands_sep=0;
+static PyObject* decimal_point=0;
+/* if non-null, indicates that LC_NUMERIC is different from "C" */
+static char* saved_numeric=0;
+
+/* the grouping is terminated by either 0 or CHAR_MAX */
+static PyObject*
+copy_grouping(s)
+  char* s;
+{
+  int i;
+  PyObject *result,*val=0;
+  if(s[0]=='\0')
+     /* empty string: no grouping at all */
+     return PyList_New(0);
+  for(i=0;s[i]!='\0' && s[i]!=CHAR_MAX;i++)
+     /* nothing */;
+  result = PyList_New(i+1);
+  if(!result)return NULL;
+  i=-1;
+  do{
+    i++;
+    val=PyInt_FromLong(s[i]);
+    if(!val)break;
+    if(PyList_SetItem(result,i,val)){
+      Py_DECREF(val);
+      val=0;
+      break;
+    }
+  }while(s[i]!='\0' && s[i]!=CHAR_MAX);
+  if(!val){
+    Py_DECREF(result);
+    return NULL;
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+static void
+fixup_ulcase()
+{
+  PyObject *mods,*strop,*string,*ulo;
+  unsigned char ul[256];
+  int n,c;
+
+  /* finding sys.modules */
+  mods=PyImport_GetModuleDict();
+  if(!mods)return;
+  /* finding the module */
+  string=PyDict_GetItemString(mods,"string");
+  if(string)
+     string=PyModule_GetDict(string);
+  strop=PyDict_GetItemString(mods,"strop");
+  if(strop)
+     strop=PyModule_GetDict(strop);
+  if(!string && !strop)return;
+  /* create uppercase */
+  n = 0;
+  for (c = 0; c < 256; c++) {
+    if (isupper(c))
+       ul[n++] = c;
+  }
+  ulo=PyString_FromStringAndSize(ul,n);
+  if(!ulo)return;
+  if(string)
+     PyDict_SetItemString(string,"uppercase",ulo);
+  if(strop)
+     PyDict_SetItemString(strop,"uppercase",ulo);
+  Py_DECREF(ulo);
+  /* create lowercase */
+  n = 0;
+  for (c = 0; c < 256; c++) {
+    if (islower(c))
+       ul[n++] = c;
+  }
+  ulo=PyString_FromStringAndSize(ul,n);
+  if(!ulo)return;
+  if(string)
+     PyDict_SetItemString(string,"lowercase",ulo);
+  if(strop)
+     PyDict_SetItemString(strop,"lowercase",ulo);
+  Py_DECREF(ulo);
+  /* create letters */
+  n = 0;
+  for (c = 0; c < 256; c++) {
+    if (isalpha(c))
+       ul[n++] = c;
+  }
+  ulo=PyString_FromStringAndSize(ul,n);
+  if(!ulo)return;
+  if(string)
+     PyDict_SetItemString(string,"letters",ulo);
+  Py_DECREF(ulo);
+}
+  
+
+static PyObject*
+PyLocale_setlocale(self,args)
+  PyObject *self;
+  PyObject *args;
+{
+  int category;
+  char *locale=0,*result;
+  PyObject *result_object;
+  struct lconv *lc;
+  if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"i|z",&category,&locale))return 0;
+  if(locale){
+    /* set locale */
+    result=setlocale(category,locale);
+    if(!result){
+      /* operation failed, no setting was changed */
+      PyErr_SetString(Error,"locale setting not supported");
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    result_object=PyString_FromString(result);
+    if(!result)return NULL;
+    /* record changes to LC_NUMERIC */
+    if(category==LC_NUMERIC || category==LC_ALL){
+      if(strcmp(locale,"C")==0 || strcmp(locale,"POSIX")==0){
+        /* user just asked for default numeric locale */
+        if(saved_numeric)free(saved_numeric);
+        saved_numeric=0;
+      }else{
+        /* remember values */
+        lc=localeconv();
+        Py_XDECREF(grouping);
+        grouping=copy_grouping(lc->grouping);
+        Py_XDECREF(thousands_sep);
+        thousands_sep=PyString_FromString(lc->thousands_sep);
+        Py_XDECREF(decimal_point);
+        decimal_point=PyString_FromString(lc->decimal_point);
+        saved_numeric = strdup(locale);
+
+        /* restore to "C" */
+        setlocale(LC_NUMERIC,"C");
+      }
+    }
+    /* record changes to LC_CTYPE */
+    if(category==LC_CTYPE || category==LC_ALL)
+       fixup_ulcase();
+    /* things that got wrong up to here are ignored */
+    PyErr_Clear();
+  }else{
+    /* get locale */
+    /* restore LC_NUMERIC first, if appropriate */
+    if(saved_numeric)
+       setlocale(LC_NUMERIC,saved_numeric);
+    result=setlocale(category,NULL);
+    if(!result){
+      PyErr_SetString(Error,"locale query failed");
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    result_object=PyString_FromString(result);
+    /* restore back to "C" */
+    if(saved_numeric)
+       setlocale(LC_NUMERIC,"C");
+  }
+  return result_object;
+}
+
+static char localeconv__doc__[]=
+"() -> dict. Returns numeric and monetary locale-specific parameters."
+;
+
+static PyObject*
+PyLocale_localeconv(self,args)
+  PyObject *self;
+  PyObject *args;
+{
+  PyObject* result;
+  struct lconv *l;
+  PyObject *x;
+  if(!PyArg_NoArgs(args))return 0;
+  result = PyDict_New();
+  if(!result)return 0;
+  /* if LC_NUMERIC is different in the C library, use saved value */
+  l = localeconv();
+  /* hopefully, the localeconv result survives the C library calls
+     involved herein */
+#define RESULT_STRING(s) \
+  x=PyString_FromString(l->s);if(!x)goto failed;PyDict_SetItemString(result,#s,x);Py_XDECREF(x)
+#define RESULT_INT(i) \
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(l->i);if(!x)goto failed;PyDict_SetItemString(result,#i,x);Py_XDECREF(x)
+
+    /* Numeric information */
+  if(saved_numeric){
+    /* cannot use localeconv results */
+    PyDict_SetItemString(result,"decimal_point",decimal_point);
+    PyDict_SetItemString(result,"grouping",grouping);
+    PyDict_SetItemString(result,"thousands_sep",thousands_sep);
+  }else{
+    RESULT_STRING(decimal_point);
+    RESULT_STRING(thousands_sep);
+    x=copy_grouping(l->grouping);
+    if(!x)goto failed;
+    PyDict_SetItemString(result,"grouping",x);
+    Py_XDECREF(x);
+  }
+
+  /* Monetary information */
+  RESULT_STRING(int_curr_symbol);
+  RESULT_STRING(currency_symbol);
+  RESULT_STRING(mon_decimal_point);
+  RESULT_STRING(mon_thousands_sep);
+  x=copy_grouping(l->mon_grouping);
+  if(!x)goto failed;
+  PyDict_SetItemString(result,"mon_grouping",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+  RESULT_STRING(positive_sign);
+  RESULT_STRING(negative_sign);
+  RESULT_INT(int_frac_digits);
+  RESULT_INT(frac_digits);
+  RESULT_INT(p_cs_precedes);
+  RESULT_INT(p_sep_by_space);
+  RESULT_INT(n_cs_precedes);
+  RESULT_INT(n_sep_by_space);
+  RESULT_INT(p_sign_posn);
+  RESULT_INT(n_sign_posn);
+
+  return result;
+ failed:
+  Py_XDECREF(result);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+static char strcoll__doc__[]=
+"string,string -> int. Compares two strings according to the locale."
+;
+
+static PyObject*
+PyLocale_strcoll(self,args)
+  PyObject *self;
+  PyObject *args;
+{
+  char *s1,*s2;
+  if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"ss",&s1,&s2))
+     return NULL;
+  return PyInt_FromLong(strcoll(s1,s2));
+}
+
+static char strxfrm__doc__[]=
+"string -> string. Returns a string that behaves for cmp locale-aware."
+;
+
+static PyObject*
+PyLocale_strxfrm(self,args)
+  PyObject* self;
+  PyObject* args;
+{
+  char *s,*buf;
+  int n1,n2;
+  PyObject *result;
+  if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"s",&s))
+     return NULL;
+  /* assume no change in size, first */
+  n1=strlen(s)+1;
+  buf=Py_Malloc(n1);
+  if(!buf)return NULL;
+  n2=strxfrm(buf,s,n1);
+  if(n2>n1){
+    /* more space needed */
+    buf=Py_Realloc(buf,n2);
+    if(!buf)return NULL;
+    strxfrm(buf,s,n2);
+  }
+  result=PyString_FromString(buf);
+  Py_Free(buf);
+  return result;
+}
+
+static struct PyMethodDef PyLocale_Methods[] = {
+  {"setlocale",(PyCFunction)PyLocale_setlocale,1,setlocale__doc__},
+  {"localeconv",(PyCFunction)PyLocale_localeconv,0,localeconv__doc__},
+  {"strcoll",(PyCFunction)PyLocale_strcoll,1,strcoll__doc__},
+  {"strxfrm",(PyCFunction)PyLocale_strxfrm,1,strxfrm__doc__},
+  {NULL, NULL}
+};
+
+void
+init_locale()
+{
+  PyObject *m,*d,*x;
+  m=Py_InitModule("_locale",PyLocale_Methods);
+  d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_CTYPE);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_CTYPE",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_TIME);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_TIME",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_COLLATE);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_COLLATE",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_MONETARY);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_MONETARY",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_MESSAGES);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_MESSAGES",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_NUMERIC);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_NUMERIC",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(LC_ALL);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"LC_ALL",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  x=PyInt_FromLong(CHAR_MAX);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"CHAR_MAX",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  Error = PyErr_NewException("locale.Error", NULL, NULL);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d, "Error", Error);
+
+  x=PyString_FromString(locale__doc__);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d,"__doc__",x);
+  Py_XDECREF(x);
+
+  if(PyErr_Occurred())
+    Py_FatalError("Can't initialize module locale");
+}