use utf8; use Encode 'encode'; my $str = "convert -size 100x25 -background white -fill black -pointsize 25 label:ÄÖÜß ÄÖÜß.gif\n"; print encode cp850 => $str; system encode cp850 => $str; #### convert -size 100x25 -background white -fill black -pointsize 25 label:ÄÖÜß ÄÖÜß.gif