  The ROSAT ALL Sky Survey Bright Source Catalogue (RASS-BSC) has been
correlated with the Catalogue of Principal Galaxies (PGC) to identify new
extragalactic counterparts. 550 reliable optical counterparts have been
detected. We took optical spectra of 176 X-ray candidates and companions at
ESO, Calar Alto observatory and McDonald observatory. We discuss the redshift-,
linewidth-, as well as optical and X-ray luminosity distribution of our ROSAT
selected sample. 139 galaxies of our 166 X-ray counterparts have been
identified as AGN with 93 being Seyfert 1 galaxies (61%). Eighteen of them
(20%) are Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies. 34 X-ray candidates (21%) are LINERs
and only eight candidates (5%) are Seyfert 2. The ratio of the number of
Seyfert 1 galaxies to Seyfert 2 galaxies is about 11/1. Optical surveys result
in ratios of 1/1.4. The high fraction of detected Seyfert 1 galaxies is
explained by the sensitivity of the ROSAT to soft X-rays which are heavily
absorbed in type 2 AGN. Two X-ray candidates are HII-galaxies and 25 candidates
(15%) show no signs of spectral activity. The AGN in our RASS selected sample
exhibit slightly higher optical luminosities M_B = (-20.71 +- 1.75) mag and
similar X-ray luminosities (log(L_X [erg/s]) = 42.9 +- 1.7) compared to other
AGN surveys. The Halpha line width distribution (FWHM) of our newly identified
ROSAT AGN sample is similar to the line widths distribution based on SDSS AGN.
However, our newly identified RASS AGN have rather reddish colors explaining
why they have not been detected before in ultraviolet or blue excess surveys.
