It's kind of the Oscars of the German speaking world with the interesting twist that it is not awarded by a committee but by the current owner. It's held for a

It's kind of the Oscars of the German speaking world with the interesting twist that it is not awarded by a committee but by the current owner. It's held for a lifetime so no pompous ceremony each year. ... and it's cursed: > One exception to this rule came in 1954, when Werner Krauß was not determined by the previous holder Albert Bassermann but by a committee of German-speaking actors. Three times Bassermann had chosen a successor, and on each occasion the actor chosen had died shortly thereafter. Bassermann considered the ring cursed, and declined to choose a fourth successor.