Kovinka Oleksandr
The comic writer born in the village of Ploske, Reshetylivka County. Oleksandr earned his livelihood by working as a farmhand since he was twelve, endured a lot of hardships: he acted as a member of the rebel group, then imprisoned by Denikin, eventually found himself in the army led by Symon Petliura. From 1928 Kovinka worked for the regional newspaper “Bolshevik of Poltava Land”. Oleksandr Kovinka’s talent was formed under the influence of Ostap Vyshnya, therefore even his analytical articles, essays and memoirs were full of humor and self-irony.
Kovinka’s brilliant talent, his sharp words caused he was declared Enemy of People. On October 6, 1934 O. Kovinka was arrested he had supposedly been a member of anti-Soviet Terrorist Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists-Borotbists since 1928 (formerly, Kovinka really belonged to the party of Borotbists) participating in a terrorist attempts against the party leaders. In the Lukyanivska prison of Kyiv he met his Poltava friends Maifet and Vanchenko... All of them were sentenced to Corrective Labor Camps for 10 years. After announcement of the judgment on March 28, 1935 Kovinka was brought to Magadan region to serve the sentence. In 1947 the writer was freed but still not entitled to come back to Ukraine. He resided in Yakutia. In 1950 O. Kovinka was again arrested and brought back to Nagayevo near Magadan. He worked as an economist for a motor vehicle convoy. As late as in 1956, he was rehabilitated and returned home.
O. Kovinka continuously published in Ukrainian magazines such as satirical periodical "Pepper", weekly "Ukraine", literary monthlies “Flag” and "October", many newspapers throughout Ukraine, including Poltava ones. In his writings he scorned parasitism, embezzlement of State property, immorality, lack of culture, skilfully portrayed funny, comical things in everyday life of the Soviet people. He developed his own style of an unhurried, ironic, wise narrative. The listeners recognized him by his unique intonation manner based on folklore and talking.
He kept valuable memories of Sosyura, Mate Zalka, Ostap Vyshnya, P. Kapelhorodsky. In 1984 he was awarded the Ostap Vyshnya Prize. However, it should be noted that not much of the humor inherent in early Kovinka’s works remained in his creation after his taking into custody.
He lived in Poltava, was elected a deputy of the city council, a member of the Board of the Writers’ Union of Ukraine. In 1992 the memorial tablet was set at the house that he spent the last years of his life in (4, Zygin Street).
