  The dynamical, dielectric and elastic properties of GeTe, a ferroelectric
material in its low temperature rhombohedral phase, have been investigated
using first-principles density functional theory. We report the electronic
energy bands, phonon dispersion curves, electronic and low frequency dielectric
tensors, infra-red reflectivity, Born effective charges, elastic and
piezoelectric tensors and compare them with the existing theoretical and
experimental results, as well as with similar quantities available for other
ferroelectric materials, when appropriate.
