Vladimir Nikolaevich Voinovich, born 26 September 1932 in Dushanbe. His father was a journalist, his mother a mathematics teacher. In May of 1941 he moved to Zaporozhye with his father. Then with the war and evacuation, he moved around a lot, living in Stavropol krai, Kubishev oblast, Vologodsky oblast, the Crimea, and Moscow. He worked as a shepherd, carpenter, metal worker, airplane mechanic, teacher, and editor for radio. He served in the army from 1951 to 1955. Studied in the Pedagogical Institute for a year and a half. While in the army, he began to write poetry, but then he switched to prose. His first story "We Live Here" was published in Novy Mir in 1961. Other published works include "Half a Kilometer", "I Want To Be Honest", "Two Comrades", and "Degree of Trust". In 1962 he was accepted into the Writers Union. In 1968 he became involved in dissident activities. In part because of his portrayal of Soviet society in "The Life and Amazing Adventures of the Soldier Ivan Chonkin", he was excluded from the Writers Union in 1974. In 1980 he emigrated, and in 1981 Leonid Brezhnev signed an order stripping him of his Soviet citizenship, claiming Voinovich had:
...systematically taken part in activities hostile to the USSR and has brought harm to the prestige of the USSR by his activities.....
Voinovich wrote back to Brezhnev:
"I have not undermined the prestige of the Soviet government. The Soviet government, thanks to the efforts of its leaders and your personal contribution, has no prestige. Therefore, in all justice, you ought to revoke your own citizenship."
In 1991, M.S. Gorbachev restored Voinovich's citizenship. Since 1995 Voinovich has undertaken painting and has had several exhibitions.
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Culture and Art 