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    THE SOVIET QUIZ - 2011 - QUIZ CLOSED


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    Hi UB6535,

    I am withdrawing from this question. In the interest of the quiz thread and to ensure that the rules are being followed, I am asking you to kindly PM me the identity of the man in question and supporting links so that I can ensure that he is readily researchable and therefore, worthy of being included in the quiz.

    As you know, the rules in the first post state:

    "QUESTIONS SHOULD ALSO NOT BE TOO OBSCURE AND SHOULD BE READILY RESEARCHABLE WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY"

    I therefore want to verify if this is the case. Should it turn out that the question is valid, things will be allowed to proceed. If not, the question will be terminated.

    Regards,

    Jim

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    Dear all,

    The nightmare is over for me and I know the answer to the question as UB6365 has reverted back. That takes me out of the game.

    However, after reviewing the answer I think that the question can go on, although I have asked UB6365 to make a small clarification.

    On my part I would like to say that some of the most general hints may be the most relevant, and some other hints may not need to be taken quite so literally.

    I will let UB6365 get back with more.

    Jim :cheers:

    PS - I was clueless as you all........and would have still been!!!!

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    I am Private Ivan Chonkin, from "The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin".

    My father is Vladimir Nikolayevich Voinovich.

    From Wikipedia :

    "Voinovich was born to father of Serbian descent, journalist, and mother of Jewish descent, professor of mathematics. His ancestor, Ivo Vojnović, was a prominent writer from Dubrovnik.

    Voinovich is famous for his satiric fiction but also wrote some poetry. While working for Moscow radio in the early 1960s, he produced the lyrics for the cosmonauts' anthem, Fourteen Minutes Till the Start ("14 минут до старта"). Between 1951 and 1955, Voinovich also served in the Soviet Army during peace time.

    At the outset of the Brezhnev stagnation period, Voinovich's writings stopped being published in the USSR, but became very popular samizdat and in the West. For his writing and participation in the human rights movement, Voinovich was excluded from the Soviet Writers' Union in 1974, his telephone line was cut off in 1976 and he and his family were forced to emigrate in 1980. He settled in Munich, West Germany and worked for Radio Liberty.

    Voinovich helped publish Vasily Grossman's famous novel Life and Fate by smuggling photo films secretly taken by Andrei Sakharov.

    Mikhail Gorbachev restored his Soviet citizenship in 1990 and since then the writer spends most of his time in the new Russia. Widowed in 2004 and married for the 3rd time, he now lives in Moscow. Voinovich has a son by his first wife and a daughter, Olga, by his second wife, the recently deceased, Irina. Voinovich has won many international awards and honor titles, such as State Prize of the Russian Federation (2000), Andrei Sakharov Prize For Writer's Civic Courage (2002), and more. Since 1995 he has ventured into graphic arts and sells his paintings in Russian galleries and on the Web."

    Ch.

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    Ok guys - let me help out here as this question is dragging on.

    UB is referring to a fictional person - a characther out of a book who's name happens to be Ivan and whose rank was that of Private. A lot of the relatives mentioned by UB are fictional in that they seem to be references to the actual book - which means for those who have not read the book they do not mean much! However, he is actually looking for the name of full name of this fictional private.

    Lets focus on the author who may be the key - UB said that with the mention of Solzhenitsyn (whom Harvey first mentioned earlier on), we were on the right track. Therefore the author went through some of what Sozhenitsyn did, i.e. having his citizenship revoked and then restored by Gorbachev (as per the hints). This same author went on to receive the state prize of the Russian Federation in the Putin period.

    Finally UB gives his last hint that Private Ryan is extremely famous... maybe so is Private Ivan...... search for him!

    Jim :cheers:

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    Thanks Jim. ;)

    Let's wait for official confirmation from UB6365...

    This was not a bad question, because imaginative... And I learnt something, and I discovered a book I will read for sure. :beer:

    The hints were sometimes a little bit confusing, but that's the game... My first thoughts were about some kind of secret Soviet space center (telemetry...).

    Ch.

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    I was born in XX century. The first part of novel was written in 1963.

    My father served military duty in Poland. With beginning of space era he became famous. Between 1950 and 1955, Vladimir Voinovich served in the Soviet Army in Poland

    While working for Moscow radio in the early 1960s, he produced the lyrics for the cosmonauts' anthem, Fourteen Minutes Till the Start ("14 минут до старта"), received the All-Union fame.

    I was kind of secret person… The novel went to samizdat…

    Actually before youth I did not exist officially. First time officially the novel was published in “YOUTH” magazine in 1988.

    Hint#1:

    I have some relations with U-2 airplane. I was guard fo broken U-2 airplane in the first (and most famous) novel.

    Hint#2

    My father received the State Prize of RF from President Putin... In 2000

    Hint #2

    I am a hero of the movie made by Oscar-winning producer. By Czech Jiri Menzel who received Oscar award in 1966.

    Hint # 3

    I was awarded with unknown order but this decision was cancelled later. When general Drynov incredulously learns that I single-handedly was holding off the whole regiment, he declares Chonkin a hero and awards him an order taken off his own chest, but he cancelled his order NKVD lieutenant shows the order for my arrest.

    Hint # 4

    One of my far relatives (unfortunately I never met him) was awarded by Stalin prize twice and in two different ways. I can count all other humorous images of soldier in art as my relatives. Private Vasily Terkin was awarded by Stalin prize twice , first one writer Alexander Tvardovsky in 1945 for his poem "Vasily Terkin" , second painter Yury Neprinzev in 1951 for the painting "Rest after the fight. VasilyTerkin "

    Hint#5

    I was awarded with unknown order but this decision was cancelled later, due to my problems with law enforcement agency... See hint# 3

    Hint# 6

    One of my far relatives (unfortunately I never met him, but he is also very famous) served his military duty at Austria-Hungarian army at WW1. Famous private Svejk by Yaroslav Hasek

    Hint# 7

    I was POW, later moved to USA. With US official representatives I met Gorbachev... The meeting was very nice and productive. Check the last part of trilogy.

    Hint# 8

    I became known to Western society in 1975. In 1975 YMCA publishing first time published the novel.

    Hint #9

    I was kind of secret person… Actually before youth I did not exist officially.

    I became known to Russian (Soviet) society officially in 1988 (check the time...). First time officially the novel was published in “YOUTH” magazine in 1988.

    Hint# 10.

    The fact of my birth cost my father the membership in highly respected organization... Voinovich lost his membership at Union of Soviet writers

    Hint # 11

    Actually before youth I did not exist officially.

    Hint#12

    The fact of my birth cost my father the membership in highly respected organization, but brought membership of more respected french organization, founded in 1921 in London.

    Voinovich was invited to French branch of PEN club.

    Hint#13

    The fact of my birth cost my father citizenship of SU... In 1981

    Hint # 14:

    But my grandpa (father of my father, but not my real grandfather) connected to Serbia and Tajikistan.

    Hint#15:

    I am a hero of the movie made by Oscar-winning producer.

    But a decade before E.Ryazanov as a producer and M.Baryshnikov as a main hero (means myself) were offered to make movie about my story... with no success.

    Hint#16:

    My military rank (and rank of my above mentioned far relatives) is private.

    Edited by ub6365
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    I admit that many of the clues were distracting and no matter how I searched, nothing would turn up. The blur and bounce between fact and fiction was very unclear and I think it complicated matters. I also feared that as it went on, members would lose interest in the question. I personally cannot believe how much time I spent on this question alone!!! I fully understand Harvey's frustration too!

    When UB told me the name, I however realised that some basic hints did exist - as common as a Private Ivan may be in the Russian Army, a search for "private Ivan" on yahoo reveals the name of our man!!!

    We need to be more precise in future questions - and as we add hints, we should narrow the scope of the answer not widen it.

    Well done Christophe on a well deserved point!

    Jim :cheers:

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    Actually, if you try to search "Барышников, фильм, рядовой, Рязанов" (Hint#15) in Google.ru , you will go directly to the answer...

    Hi UB,

    You must understand that many do not read russian and are limited to english search engines. Whereas I get by with lots of effort, it does not occur to me to run a search on a russian search engine. Of course, he also does turn up on regular google!

    What is important is that questions are readily researchable by all. Interest in the quiz depends more on the turnover of questions and the chance to particpate then detective work, which is what we needed here.

    Notwithstanding, I too find myself facinated by this book and would like to get my hands on it!

    And guess what.....I briefly mentioned it to my wife and she knows about it :banger:

    Jim :cheers:

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    MOVING ON:

    Scoreboard update!

    CHRISTOPHE GETS A VERY WELL DESERVED POINT!

    19 points - JimZ

    15 points - Harvey

    10 points - Hauptmann

    8 points - Christophe

    5 points - Gunner 1

    5 points - UB6365

    3 points - Valter

    2 points - kapten_windu

    1 point - Tachel

    Question 68 is up to Christophe. :beer:

    Jim :cheers:

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    Question 68 :

    This one should be easy...

    My first name is Fyodor.

    This pic has been taken in 1959 by Yewgeni Chaldej.

    1. What is my complete name ?

    2. What did I do of famous in 1945 ?

    Good hunt and good luck !! :whistle:

    Ch.

    Edited by Christophe
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