Introduction
Tomasz Zan (21 December 1796 Miasata, Molodechno, Russian Empire (now Belarus) – 19 July 1855 Kakoŭčyna, Orsha, Russian Empire), was a Polish poet and activist.
Biography
He was born on 21 December 1796 in Miasata, Molodechno, then part of the Russian Empire, now part of Belarus.
Zan attended the University of Wilno from 1820-1823, where he befriended Adam Mickiewicz, who would later become Poland's best-known poet. As Zan was two years older, he served as a mentor and friend to Mickiewicz.
In 1817 he was a cofounder of the Philomatic Association (Towarzystwo Filomatów), in 1820, Radiant Association (Towarzystwo Promienistych), in 1820-1823 president of Filaret Association (Zgromadzenie Filaretów), all of them student organizations in Vilna dedicated to Polish cultural and political activities. For his activity in those organizations he was exiled by the Russian authorities to Siberia (from 1824 to 1837), during which time he assisted Alexander von Humboldt on his 1829 research expedition.
Between 1837 and 1841 he worked as a librarian in Saint Petersburg before returning to Vilnius.
He died on 19 July 1855 in Kakoŭčyna, Orsha, then part of the Russian Empire.
Legacy
His poetry is mostly satirical, most known is the heroicomic 'Zgon tabakiery'.