To the encyclopedic discourse on the figure of world greatness Ivan Puluj

The article surveys encyclopedic publications that contain entries on Ivan Puluj (1845–1918), from the earliest references in 1898 to the present day. Special attention is given to the wide-ranging and interdisciplinary character of Puluj’s activity, which earned him international recognition. As a physicist, he is regarded among the most notable scientific figures of the late nineteenth century: his fundamental studies of cathode rays paved the way for the discovery of the electron and contributed to the emergence of X-ray science and early medical radiography. Puluj’s achievements in practical electrical engineering and invention are today represented in museums of science and technology across Europe and the United States. In the humanities, he is known as a translator of the Bible from classical languages into Ukrainian and as an advocate of education in the native language. Through numerous public essays and pamphlets, he defended the rights of the Ukrainian language and argued for the opening of a Ukrainian university in Lviv. In political writings published in German in Prague and Vienna at the beginning of the First World War, Puluj forcefully maintained that the establishment of an independent Ukrainian state was essential for peace and stability in Europe. The article also addresses widespread inaccuracies in printed and online sources concerning the life and work of Ivan Puluj, correcting them on the basis of documentary evidence.