In the 19th century, the eastern borderlands of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth were the birthplace of many outstanding Poles. Among the greatest was Bohdan Zaleski (1802–1886), a major Romantic poet whose verse, alive with the rhythms of folk music, describes the stark beauty of the Ukrainian steppes and the history of the early Cossacks, who were closely connected with the Polish army defending the country’s borders. Awarded the Virtuti Militari Cross for bravery at the Battle of Olszynka Grochowska, he was also a member of parliament and a political writer. He continued writing poetry in exile and was a close friend of Adam Mickiewicz, Cyprian Norwid, Fryderyk Chopin, and Ignacy Domeyko. His poetry, infused with a religious spirit and published in Lwów, Poznań, Paris, and St. Petersburg, earned critical acclaim and the affection of readers. This year marks a milestone anniversary of Bohdan Zaleski’s death that has been entirely overlooked by the Polish state. PUL therefore seeks to recall this great Pole and pay him the tribute he deserves.