diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Helper/Data.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Helper/Data.php
index 78517f40886bd..94278798ca8c7 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Helper/Data.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Helper/Data.php
@@ -331,9 +331,9 @@ public function removeAccents($string, $german=false)
 
             if ($german) {
                 // umlauts
-                $subst = array_merge($subst, array(
+                $subst = array(
                     196=>'Ae', 228=>'ae', 214=>'Oe', 246=>'oe', 220=>'Ue', 252=>'ue'
-                ));
+                ) + $subst;
             }
 
             $replacements[$german] = array();