[CentOS] setxkbmap not accepting layout "de"

Wed Jun 26 20:14:27 UTC 2013
Dirk <dirk.schulz at kinzesberg.de>

Hi all,

when I try to use Xnest with setxkbmap to force a Germany keyboard 
layout, I get the error
> Error loading new keyboard description
The complete command I am using is
> ssh -X -C -l $USER $HOST -n "Xnest :1 -ac -geometry 1440x850 -once 
> -query localhost & setxkbmap -layout de"
I also tried with "setxkbmap de" in the end, but no difference.

So this might have been the right syntax to set a different keyboard 
layout, but somehow it did not work - do I understand the error message 
right?
There is no error or hint in the Xorg log file(s).

Any hint or help is appreciated.

Dirk