The basic form of the superlative suffix in German is -"st (kleinst"-), with some adjectives requiring a longer form, -"est (lautest"-). While the superlative has long been a topic in teaching materials, the accuracy of textbook treatments continues to be less than satisfactory. The difficulty arises in characterizing the adjectives that require the longer form of the suffix. Grammars provide no standard treatment of the superlative and fail to present concise generalizations, crucial to the language learner. This paper provides a new analysis of the superlative that incorporates the insights revealed in an evaluation of accounts of the superlative in three grammars of German. Stress, secondary as well as primary, the feature [coronal], and the recognition of complex segments are argued to be crucial for describing the environments in which -e- must be inserted before the -st suffix. The rule describing these environments is stated both in formal terms and in terms that are accessible to the language learner, and suggestions are provided for teaching.