Problem with special characters when using Perl -> MySql via DBI on WinNT

I am using ActivePerl 6.18 (with DBI) and MySql 3.23.28 both on WinNT. I am facing a problem whenever I am using special characters (like ä,ö,ü or ß): I am useing a Perl-Script (started from a DOS box) to insert such values into my database. When using the mysql-client (also in a DOS box) to retrieve the data afterwards, the mentioned special characters don't appear correctly on the screen - they are only ok when I redirect the output into a file.

It is the other way round when inserting data with the mysql client: when retrieving the data with a Perl-Script (to screen and to file) the screen-output is ok but the file is wrong. Even if I retrieve it with mysql client, screen is ok but file is wrong.

I hope that anybody can help me with this problem, as I need to use those characters no matter if I use Perl or the mysql-client to handle the data.

Thank you in advance, Alex