diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/C/backdrops/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/localized/C/backdrops/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fee4896cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/C/backdrops/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
+
+include ../../templates/C.am
+include ../../templates/backdrops.am
+
diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/de_DE.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/localized/de_DE.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a72cc72af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/de_DE.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
+
+include ../../templates/German.am
+include ../../templates/backdrops.am
+
diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/es_ES.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/localized/es_ES.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8bf14c89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/es_ES.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
+
+include ../../templates/Spanish.am
+include ../../templates/backdrops.am
+
diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/fr_FR.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/localized/fr_FR.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8f1d92089
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/fr_FR.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
+
+include ../../templates/French.am
+include ../../templates/backdrops.am
+
diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/it_IT.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/localized/it_IT.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5a828d8b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/it_IT.UTF-8/backdrops/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in
+
+include ../../templates/Italian.am
+include ../../templates/backdrops.am
+
diff --git a/cde/programs/localized/templates/backdrops.am b/cde/programs/localized/templates/backdrops.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..635310ed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/programs/localized/templates/backdrops.am
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# process the backdrop file...
+
+BUILT_SOURCES = desc.$(LANG)
+
+CLEANFILES = $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+
+TOP = $(top_builddir)/programs
+MERGE = $(top_builddir)/programs/localized/util/merge
+
+desc.$(LANG): $(TOP)/dtstyle/Backdrops Backdrops.tmsg
+	$(MERGE) -lang $(LANG) Backdrops.tmsg < $< > $@ || $(RM) $@