diff --git a/src/mpi/group/mpi_group_init.c b/src/mpi/group/mpi_group_init.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b01844968
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mpi/group/mpi_group_init.c
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+ * $HEADER$
+ */
+
+#include "mpi/group/group.h"
+#include "lam/constants.h"
+
+/* define class information */
+static void lam_group_construct(lam_group_t *);
+static void lam_group_destruct(lam_group_t *);
+
+lam_class_t lam_group_t_class = {
+    "lam_group_t",
+    OBJ_CLASS(lam_object_t),
+    (lam_construct_t) lam_group_construct,
+    (lam_destruct_t) lam_group_destruct
+};
+
+/*
+ * Table for Fortran <-> C group handle conversion
+ */
+lam_pointer_array_t *lam_group_f_to_c_table;
+
+/**
+ * This routine is used to allocate a new group structure
+ *
+ * @return Pointer to new group structure
+ */
+lam_group_t *group_allocate(int group_size)
+{
+    /* local variables */
+    lam_group_t *new_group;
+
+    /* create new group group element */
+    new_group=OBJ_NEW(lam_group_t);
+
+    if( new_group ) {
+        /* allocate array of (lam_proc_t *)'s, one for each
+         *   process in the group */
+        new_group->grp_proc_pointers=
+            malloc(sizeof(lam_proc_t *)*group_size);
+        if( new_group->grp_proc_pointers ) {
+            /* grp_proc_pointers allocated */
+            /* assign entry in fortran <-> c translation array */
+            /*lam_pointer_array_add(,new_group); */
+        } else {
+            /* grp_proc_pointers allocation failed */
+            free(new_group);
+            new_group=NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /* return */
+    return new_group;
+}
+
+/**
+ * group constructor
+ */
+void lam_group_construct(lam_group_t *new_group){
+
+    /* call parent constructor */
+    OBJ_CONSTRUCT_SUPER(new_group,lam_object_t);
+
+    /* return */
+    return;
+}
+
+/**
+ * group destructor
+ */
+void lam_group_destruct(lam_group_t *group){
+
+    /* call parent destructor */
+    OBJ_DESTRUCT_SUPER(group,lam_object_t);
+
+    /* return */
+    return;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Initialize LAM group infrastructure
+ */
+
+int lam_group_init()
+{
+    /* local variables */
+    int return_value=LAM_SUCCESS;
+
+    /* initialize lam_group_f_to_c_table */
+    lam_group_f_to_c_table=OBJ_NEW(lam_pointer_array_t);
+
+    /* return */
+    return return_value;
+}