diff --git a/batiskaf/jinja2_ext/html_filters.py b/batiskaf/jinja2_ext/html_filters.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80e43f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/batiskaf/jinja2_ext/html_filters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from django.utils.text import normalize_newlines
+import re
+from django.utils.functional import allow_lazy
+from django.utils.safestring import SafeData, SafeText, mark_safe
+from django.utils.encoding import force_str, force_text
+from django.utils import six
+
+
+def escape(text):
+    """
+    Returns the given text with ampersands, quotes and angle brackets encoded
+    for use in HTML.
+    This function always escapes its input, even if it's already escaped and
+    marked as such. This may result in double-escaping. If this is a concern,
+    use conditional_escape() instead.
+    """
+    return mark_safe(force_text(text).replace(
+        '&', '&amp;').replace('<', '&lt;')
+                     .replace('>', '&gt;').replace(
+        '"', '&quot;').replace("'", '&#39;'))
+escape = allow_lazy(escape, six.text_type, SafeText)
+
+
+def linebreaks(value, autoescape=False):
+    """Converts newlines into <p> and <br />s."""
+    value = normalize_newlines(value)
+    paras = re.split('\n{2,}', value)
+    if autoescape:
+        paras = ['<p>%s</p>' %
+                 escape(p).replace('\n', '<br />') for p in paras]
+    else:
+        paras = ['<p>%s</p>' % p.replace('\n', '<br />') for p in paras]
+    return '\n\n'.join(paras)