diff --git a/src/stringTools.cpp b/src/stringTools.cpp
index 9da85c1..c64d63c 100644
--- a/src/stringTools.cpp
+++ b/src/stringTools.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp>
 
 using std::string;
+using std::wstring;
 using std::u32string;
 using std::vector;
 using boost::optional;
@@ -81,6 +82,14 @@ vector<string> wrapString(const string& s, int lineLength, int hangingIndent) {
 	return lines;
 }
 
+wstring latin1ToWide(const string& s) {
+	wstring result;
+	for (unsigned char c : s) {
+		result.append(1, c);
+	}
+	return result;
+}
+
 optional<char> toASCII(char32_t ch) {
 	switch (ch) {
 #include "asciiCases.cpp"
diff --git a/src/stringTools.h b/src/stringTools.h
index 9257e68..4ba7aab 100644
--- a/src/stringTools.h
+++ b/src/stringTools.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ std::vector<std::string> wrapSingleLineString(const std::string& s, int lineLeng
 
 std::vector<std::string> wrapString(const std::string& s, int lineLength, int hangingIndent = 0);
 
+std::wstring latin1ToWide(const std::string& s);
+
 boost::optional<char> toASCII(char32_t ch);
 
 std::string toASCII(const std::u32string& s);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/stringToolsTests.cpp b/tests/stringToolsTests.cpp
index f135c9a..f5ab84b 100644
--- a/tests/stringToolsTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/stringToolsTests.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 using namespace testing;
 using std::string;
+using std::wstring;
 
 // splitIntoLines
 
@@ -72,6 +73,14 @@ TEST(wrapString, basic) {
 	EXPECT_THAT(wrapString("\n\nLine no 3\n\nLine no 4\n", 8), ElementsAre("", "", "Line no", "3", "", "Line no", "4", ""));
 }
 
+// latin1ToWide
+
+TEST(latin1ToWide, basic) {
+	string pangramLatin1 = "D\350s No\353l o\371 un z\351phyr ha\357 me v\352t de gla\347ons w\374rmiens, je d\356ne d'exquis r\364tis de boeuf au kir \340 l'a\377 d'\342ge m\373r & c\346tera!";
+	wstring pangramWide = L"Dès Noël où un zéphyr haï me vêt de glaçons würmiens, je dîne d'exquis rôtis de boeuf au kir à l'aÿ d'âge mûr & cætera!";
+	EXPECT_EQ(pangramWide, latin1ToWide(pangramLatin1));
+}
+
 // toASCII
 
 TEST(toASCII, string) {