This book is based on presentations to the International Conference of X-Ray Micro­ scopy and Spectromicroscopy, XRM 96, which took place in Wiirzburg, August 19- 23, 1996. The conference also celebrated the lOOth anniversary of the discovery of X­ rays by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen on November 8, 1895, in Wiirzburg. This book contains state-of-the-art reviews and up-to-date progress reports in the field of X-ray microscopy and spectromicroscopy, including related new X-ray optics and X-ray sources. It reflects the lively activities within a relatively new field of science which combines the development of new instruments and methods with their applications to numerous topical scientific questions. The applications range from biological and medical topics, colloid physics, and soil sciences to solid-state physics, material sciences, and surface sciences. Their variety demonstrates the interdisci­ plinary and cooperative character of this field and the growing demand for micro­ scopic and spectromicroscopic information on the nanometer scale and under specific sample conditions, for example in wet (natural) surroundings or on a solid surface.