Computation of relative class numbers of CM-fields by using Hecke -functions

We develop an efficient technique for computing values at of Hecke -functions. We apply this technique to the computation of relative class numbers of non-abelian CM-fields which are abelian extensions of some totally real subfield . We note that the smaller the degree of the more efficient our technique is. In particular, our technique is very efficient whenever instead of simply choosing (the maximal totally real subfield of ) we can choose real quadratic. We finally give examples of computations of relative class numbers of several dihedral CM-fields of large degrees and of several quaternion octic CM-fields with large discriminants.