Friends+of+the+Soviet+Union,+Esther+Barsel+and+Mosie+Moolla

29 July 2006
=Friends of the Soviet Union=


 * By Esther Barsel**

I remember there was a campaign by progressives to establish diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union and eventually a consulate was opened in Pretoria as well as a trade representative – but there was no reciprocal representative by the SA Government to Moscow.

The Friends of the Soviet Union (FSU) were already getting material from cultural organisations in Moscow. They were getting publications about soviet life and exhibitions – both of which were widely distributed.

As far as I recall the FSU did not have official membership but each area had a list of contacts who were interested in events. Generally these events were well attended. Also to advertise events leaflets and posters were distributed and each area throughout the country had its own committee. There was a magazine called Soviet Life independent of the FSU.

Many events were held at the old Gandhi Hall.

I worked full time for the FSU. I was in charge of communicating with committees in five different towns on the East Rand, for example.

On the 7th November each year the Soviet Consulate held a party to celebrate the October Revolution, to which government officials and some activists were invited. Generally the FSU and Soviet Life did not conduct their affairs through the consulate.

After the war when the cold war started the FSU, which was at that stage called the SA Society for Peace and Friendship, came under severe attack by the Government and with its officials banned and put under house arrest, the organisation stopped functioning.

After liberation some comrades tried to retrieve some documents which the security police took from them, but they didn’t get anything.

=Extract from memoir by Mosie Moolla:=


 * 26 July 2006, e-mail**

The Friends of the Soviet Union and its successor played a seminal role in bringing about understanding and friendship with the peoples of the USSR and South Africa which in later years was to be translated into the practical, moral, material, financial and other support to the African National Congress which spearheaded the national liberation struggle.