Russian Language Class (1958) The SED leadership worked hard to promote the GDR's relationship with the Soviet Union – a sort of "invented friendship." In particular, organizations such as the Society for German-Soviet Friendship organized study trips, language courses, and cultural events under the motto “Learning from the Soviet Union means learning how to win.” Russian was a compulsory subject in East German schools, although many students inwardly boycotted the language. Photo by Herbert Fiebig.