Old Soviet joke On September 1, 1945, a second grade teacher asks her students who have war medals to share how they have helped the war effort. A little girl raises her hand. ""Yes, Tanechka"" says the teacher, ""do you have something to share?"" Tanechka says ""I was in the hospital helping to dress the wounds for the wounded soldiers."" ""That's great"" says the teacher ""and what did the soldiers say to you?"" ""They said 'Thank you, Tanya."" ""Very good, Tanechka. Petenka, what about you?"" says the teacher to the little boy who raises his hand. ""I was shooting the fritzes with a machine gun."" ""Very good, Petenka"" says the teacher, ""and what did the soldiers say to you?"" ""They said, 'Thank you', Petya. ""Good job, you may sit down now"" says the teacher. ""Vovochka, and why don't you have any medals?"" she calls on another little boy. ""Care to explain?"" ""Sure thing, Marivanna. I was setting explosive charges on the railroad and sabotaging the trains."" ""Good job, and what were the soldiers saying to you?"" asks the teacher. ""They were saying 'Sehr gut, Waldemar, sehr gut'"" .