Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko

March 27, 1880 (age 44)

Sevastopol', Ukraine

Arkady Timofeevich started to work at the age of 15, employed by a private transport company. He remained there for slightly over a year before pursuing other employment. In 1897 he left for Donbass to work as a clerk in the Bryansk mine. He worked there for three years and later wrote several stories about life at the mine, including "In the Evening" and "Lightning." In 1903, at the age of 22, Arkady Timofeevich moved to Kharkiv where his first story appeared in the newspaper "South Territory" on 31 October. During 1906 to 1907 he edited the satirical magazines Bayonet and Sword. Finally in 1907 he was fired from this work. After this, in January 1908 Arkady Timofeevich left for Saint Petersburg where he was to achieve success in his career. In 1908 Arkady Timofeevich became secretary of the satirical magazine Dragonfly (later renamed to Satyricon) and in 1913 he became its editor. For many years he worked successfully as a member of the magazine's staff together with many other notable people, including Nadezhda Teffi, Sasha Chorny, and Aleksey Remizov. From 1910 to 1912 Arkady Timofeevich more than once travelled to Europe with his friends and colleagues at the Satyricon (including Aleksey Remizov). These travels served Arkady Timofeevich as a rich source for his creative work, and inspired his book Expedition of Satyriconers in Western Europe which was published in 1912. He also wrote many theatre reviews under several pen names. After the October Revolution, Averchenko's life was greatly changed. In August 1918 Bolshevik leaders declared the Satyricon anti-Soviet and suppressed it. Arkady Timofeevich and all Satyricon staff took a negative position against Soviet authority. He struggled greatly in attempting to return to his own Sevastopol; in particular, he had to travel through the Ukraine, which was being occupied by Germans. Beginning in June 1919 Arkady Timofeevich worked for the newspaper South (later the South of Russia) and urged aid for the Voluntary Army. On 15 November 1920 Sevastopol was taken by the Reds. Some days before Arkady Timofeevich had had time to flee via steamer ship to İstanbul. Arkady Timofeevich felt comfortable while in İstanbul. There were many other fellow Russian refugees in the city at the time.

Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko

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Background

Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko was born on March 27, 1880 in Sevastopol', Ukraine. He was the son of a poor merchant, Timofey Petrovich Averchenko.

Education

Arkady Timofeevich completed only two courses at the Gymnasia because of his poor eyesight, which rendered him unable to work on his studies for extended periods. His eye had been damaged by a childhood accident.

Career

Arkady Timofeevich started to work at the age of 15, employed by a private transport company. He remained there for slightly over a year before pursuing other employment. In 1897 he left for Donbass to work as a clerk in the Bryansk mine. He worked there for three years and later wrote several stories about life at the mine, including "In the Evening" and "Lightning."

In 1903, at the age of 22, Arkady Timofeevich moved to Kharkiv where his first story appeared in the newspaper "South Territory" on 31 October. During 1906 to 1907 he edited the satirical magazines Bayonet and Sword. Finally in 1907 he was fired from this work. After this, in January 1908 Arkady Timofeevich left for Saint Petersburg where he was to achieve success in his career.

In 1908 Arkady Timofeevich became secretary of the satirical magazine Dragonfly (later renamed to Satyricon) and in 1913 he became its editor. For many years he worked successfully as a member of the magazine's staff together with many other notable people, including Nadezhda Teffi, Sasha Chorny, and Aleksey Remizov.

From 1910 to 1912 Arkady Timofeevich more than once travelled to Europe with his friends and colleagues at the Satyricon (including Aleksey Remizov). These travels served Arkady Timofeevich as a rich source for his creative work, and inspired his book Expedition of Satyriconers in Western Europe which was published in 1912. He also wrote many theatre reviews under several pen names.

After the October Revolution, Averchenko's life was greatly changed. In August 1918 Bolshevik leaders declared the Satyricon anti-Soviet and suppressed it. Arkady Timofeevich and all Satyricon staff took a negative position against Soviet authority. He struggled greatly in attempting to return to his own Sevastopol; in particular, he had to travel through the Ukraine, which was being occupied by Germans. Beginning in June 1919 Arkady Timofeevich worked for the newspaper South (later the South of Russia) and urged aid for the Voluntary Army.

On 15 November 1920 Sevastopol was taken by the Reds. Some days before Arkady Timofeevich had had time to flee via steamer ship to İstanbul. Arkady Timofeevich felt comfortable while in İstanbul. There were many other fellow Russian refugees in the city at the time.

Works

$A Friendly Letter to Lenin, \$

booj
- A Friendly Letter to Lenin, "Ninochka", and Other Short Stories
  (This work is the first English translation of a selected ...)
  2010

Politics

Arkady Timofeevich sees the revolution as a deception of the working man, who must at some point catch himself and return everything to its place in his country.

Connections

Father:: Timofey Petrovich Averchenko
colleague:: Nadezhda Teffi
colleague:: Alexander Mikhailovich Glikberg
colleague:: Aleksey Remizov

References

Russian writers. 1800-1917. Biographical Dictionary. Volume 1
1989

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