Complex sentence: Such an initiative was unprecedented in the GDR of that period, and initially resisted by the University of Leipzig, however, with backing of the local leadership of the SED party, the project was allowed to proceed.
Split into simpler sentences: Such an initiative was unprecedented in the GDR of that period, and initially resisted by the University of Leipzig. However, with backing of the local leadership of the SED party, the project was allowed to proceed.