  On the basis of new photon scattering measurements and a reevaluation of
average neutron resonance capture data we investigate how well Lorentzians
adjusted to photo-neutron data in the giant dipole resonances give a good
description of the photon strength also below the neutron threshold. If
deformation effects are properly taken into account this is verified down to
about 5 MeV for various nuclei with A>80 such that the previously employed
differentiation between deformed and non-deformed nuclei is no longer
necessary.
