function initialize() {
      if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {      
        map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_canvas"));
        gdir = new GDirections(map, document.getElementById("directions"));
        GEvent.addListener(gdir, "error", handleErrors);
		geocoder = new GClientGeocoder();
		
	  if (geocoder) {
        geocoder.getLatLng(address, function(point) {
            if (!point) {
              alert(address + " not found");
            } else {
              map.setCenter(point, 17);
              map.enableDoubleClickZoom();    
	      map.enableScrollWheelZoom();                     
	      map.enableContinuousZoom();

              map.addControl(new GMapTypeControl());
              map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
	      map.addControl(new GScaleControl()); 

              var marker = new GMarker(point, markerOptions);
              map.addOverlay(marker);
            }
          }
        );
      }
      }
    }
    
    function setDirections(fromAddress) {
      gdir.load("from: " + fromAddress + " to: " + address, "locale: de_DE" );
	  return false;
    }
    
	function getPoint(address) {
	  geocoder.getLatLng(
	    address,
	    function(point) {
	      if (!point) {
	        alert(address + " nicht gefunden");
	      } else {
	        return point;
	      }
	    }
	  );
	}
	
    function handleErrors(){
	   if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_UNKNOWN_ADDRESS)
	     alert(unescape("Die eingegebene Adresse wurde nicht gefunden. Bitte vergewissere dich%2C dass du sie auch richtig geschrieben hast. Das ben%F6tigte Format lautet%3A Strasse%2C Hausnummer%2C Stadt"));
	   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_SERVER_ERROR)
	     alert(unescape("Server Fehler. Wom%F6glich sind die Google-Server gerade %FCberlastet"));
	   
	   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_MISSING_QUERY)
	     alert("Bitte gebe eine Adresse ein!");

	//   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_UNAVAILABLE_ADDRESS)  <--- Doc bug... this is either not defined, or Doc is wrong
	//     alert("The geocode for the given address or the route for the given directions query cannot be returned due to legal or contractual reasons.\n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
	     
	   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_BAD_KEY)
	     alert(unescape("Server Fehler. Wom%F6glich sind die Google-Server gerade %FCberlastet"));

	   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_BAD_REQUEST)
	     alert(unescape("Server Fehler. Wom%F6glich sind die Google-Server gerade %FCberlastet"));
	    
	   else alert(unescape("Server Fehler. Wom%F6glich sind die Google-Server gerade %FCberlastet"));
	   
	}

	
	function showAddress(address) {
      if (geocoder) {
        geocoder.getLatLng(
          address,
          function(point) {
            if (!point) {
              alert(address + " nicht gefunden");
            } else {
              map.setCenter(point, 17);
              var marker = new GMarker(point, markerOptions);
              map.addOverlay(marker);
            }
          }
        );
      }
    }