Mirko Kovač

Mirko Kovač was born on December 26, 1938 in Petrovići on the borderline between Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He studied dramaturgy at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Belgrade. He is an author of the following novels: Gubilište (Scaffold), 1962; Moja sestra Elida (My Sister Elida), 1965; Malvina (Malvina), 1971; Ruganje s dušom (Mockery with Soul), 1976; Vrata od utrobe (The Doors of My Mother’s Womb), 1978; Uvod u drugi život (The Introduction to Another Life), 1983; Kristalne rešetke (Crystal Bars), 1995; Grad u zrcalu (City in the Mirror), 2007. He has published collections of short stories Rane Luke Meštrevića (The Wounds of Luka Meštrević, 1971) and Nebeski zaručnici (Celestial engagement, 1987); books of essays Europska trulež (The European Decay, 1986), Europska trulež i drugi eseji (The European Decay and other Essays, 1994) and Cvjetanje mase (Flowering of the mass, 1997), book of screenplays Okupacija u 26 slika i drugi scenariji (Ocupation in 26 images and other screenplays, 1990). He also published Knjigu pisama (Book of letters, 1998) with Filip David. His selected prose was published in six tomes in 1990 (Sarajevo). He has written screenplays for movies: Mali vojnici (Little soldiers), 1968; Lisice (Foxes),1970; Muke po Mati (Mattheus Passion), 1974; Okupacija u 26 slika (Ocupation in 26 images), 1978; Dunavski znak / Usijanje (Dunav’s sign / Heat), 1979; Pad Italije (Fall of Italy), 1982; Večernja zvona (Evening bells), 1985; Dan za tetoviranje (Day for a tattoo), 1991. Since 2003, Djela Mirka Kovača (Works of Mirko Kovač) are being published in Fraktura’s edition. Till now, this books were published: Isus na koži (Jesus on the skin, selected drama), 2003; Vrata od utrobe (The Doors of My Mother’s Womb), 2003; Kristalne rešetke (Crystal Bars), 2004; Ruže za Nives Koen (Roses for Nives Koen, stories), 2005; Uvod u drugi život (The Introduction to Another Life), 2006; Ruganje s dušom (Mockery with Soul), 2007; Malvina (Malvina), 2007; Grad u zrcalu (City in the Mirror), 2007. He is a winner of many respected literary awards, including the NIN's award (1978, 1986), Andrić's award (1980), Tucholsky Prize (1993), Herder prize (1995), award Bosnian monument (2003), award Vilenica, also Vladimir Nazor award (2008), August Šenoa award (2008) and July 13th award (2008). His books are translated into many European languages. Mirko Kovač died on August 19, 2013 in Zagreb.