diff --git a/scripts/tests/common.lua b/scripts/tests/common.lua
index decd0c14b..43c77f93f 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/common.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/common.lua
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ function setup()
     eressea.settings.set("study.random_progress", "0")
 end
 
+function test_locales()
+    assert_equal(2, eressea.locale.direction("de", "Ost"))
+    assert_equal(5, eressea.locale.direction("de", "westen"))
+    assert_equal(4, eressea.locale.direction("de", "sw"))
+    assert_equal(-1, eressea.locale.direction("de", "foo"))
+    assert_equal(-1, eressea.locale.direction("foo", "sw"))
+end
+
 function test_flags()
     local r = region.create(0, 0, "plain")
     local f = faction.create("flags@eressea.de", "halfling", "de")
diff --git a/src/bind_locale.c b/src/bind_locale.c
index a4c2ac0f0..992f140b7 100644
--- a/src/bind_locale.c
+++ b/src/bind_locale.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "bind_locale.h"
 #include "util/language.h"
+#include "direction.h"
 
 void locale_create(const char *lang) {
     get_or_create_locale(lang);
@@ -19,3 +20,11 @@ const char * locale_get(const char *lang, const char *key) {
     }
     return 0;
 }
+
+int locale_direction(const char *lang, const char *str) {
+    struct locale *loc = get_locale(lang);
+    if (loc) {
+        return get_direction(str, loc);
+    }
+    return NODIRECTION;
+}
diff --git a/src/bind_locale.h b/src/bind_locale.h
index 87c0eb742..7391c2b05 100644
--- a/src/bind_locale.h
+++ b/src/bind_locale.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ extern "C" {
     void locale_create(const char *lang);
     void locale_set(const char *lang, const char *key, const char *str);
     const char * locale_get(const char *lang, const char *key);
+    int locale_direction(const char *lang, const char *str);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/locale.pkg b/src/locale.pkg
index 9a2c420de..b14dc9261 100644
--- a/src/locale.pkg
+++ b/src/locale.pkg
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ module eressea {
     void locale_create @ create(const char *lang);
     void locale_set @ set(const char *lang, const char *key, const char *str);
     const char * locale_get @ get(const char *lang, const char *key);
+    int locale_direction @ direction(const char *lang, const char *str);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/locale.pkg.c b/src/locale.pkg.c
index 34517584f..1792b742e 100644
--- a/src/locale.pkg.c
+++ b/src/locale.pkg.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ LUALIB_API int luaopen_locale (lua_State* tolua_S);
 
 #undef tolua_reg_types
 #define tolua_reg_types tolua_reg_types_locale
-#include "bind_tolua.h"
 #include "bind_locale.h"
 
 /* function to register type */
@@ -113,6 +112,35 @@ static int tolua_locale_eressea_locale_get00(lua_State* tolua_S)
 #endif
 }
 
+/* function: locale_direction */
+static int tolua_locale_eressea_locale_direction00(lua_State* tolua_S)
+{
+#ifndef TOLUA_RELEASE
+ tolua_Error tolua_err;
+ if (
+ !tolua_isstring(tolua_S,1,0,&tolua_err) || 
+ !tolua_isstring(tolua_S,2,0,&tolua_err) || 
+ !tolua_isnoobj(tolua_S,3,&tolua_err)
+ )
+ goto tolua_lerror;
+ else
+#endif
+ {
+  const char* lang = ((const char*)  tolua_tostring(tolua_S,1,0));
+  const char* str = ((const char*)  tolua_tostring(tolua_S,2,0));
+ {
+  int tolua_ret = (int)  locale_direction(lang,str);
+ tolua_pushnumber(tolua_S,(lua_Number)tolua_ret);
+ }
+ }
+ return 1;
+#ifndef TOLUA_RELEASE
+ tolua_lerror:
+ tolua_error(tolua_S,"#ferror in function 'direction'.",&tolua_err);
+ return 0;
+#endif
+}
+
 /* Open lib function */
 LUALIB_API int luaopen_locale (lua_State* tolua_S)
 {
@@ -127,6 +155,7 @@ LUALIB_API int luaopen_locale (lua_State* tolua_S)
  tolua_function(tolua_S,"create",tolua_locale_eressea_locale_create00);
  tolua_function(tolua_S,"set",tolua_locale_eressea_locale_set00);
  tolua_function(tolua_S,"get",tolua_locale_eressea_locale_get00);
+ tolua_function(tolua_S,"direction",tolua_locale_eressea_locale_direction00);
  tolua_endmodule(tolua_S);
  tolua_endmodule(tolua_S);
  tolua_endmodule(tolua_S);