Exponentiation sign in maxima session



Hello,

I use TeXmacs (more precisely, WinTeXmacs 1.0.5 with a German keyboard)
as a front end for Maxima (but I am quite new to both).
Is there an easy way to produce the exponentiation sign ^?
Though I can produce it on screen using insert->mathematics->formula (or
similar) within a Maxima session, it is not recognized by Maxima.

Thanks and kind regards

Uwe