Biography

Hanna Moiseivna Kovalenko (earlier Zelman, Zbarska), was born on March 3, 1923, in Berdychiv, Zhytomyr region, into a family of Jewish origin. From her youth she was known for her attentiveness and perseverance. She enjoyed sewing and had a natural sense of order, qualities that later helped her in her professional life.

In 1941, the war reached her hometown. Hanna married Yakov Zbarskyi, but in 1943 both were arrested and convoyed to a construction camp for road works on the Durchgangsstrasse IV (DG IV) highway (the most important strategic road at that time in the Zhytomyr region). During the transport, local villagers helped her escape. Pregnant at the time, she managed to reach evacuation in Uzbekistan, where she gave birth to her son Mykhailo in safety. Her husband Yakov perished in the camp, and Hanna carried the memory of him throughout her life.

After the war, Hanna returned to Ukraine and settled in Kyiv. She worked as an accountant, respected for her accuracy and responsibility. In 1947 she married Petro Kovalenko, who accepted her son as his own and supported the family. Together they built a stable home, raising the boy in an atmosphere of care and resilience.

Hanna lived a long life, marked by hardship and renewal. She was remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother, a woman of strength who endured loss yet found the courage to rebuild. She passed away on March 5, 1998, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance and love.