We present first results(1) of the Hamburg/SAO Survey for Emission-Line Gal
axies (HSS therein, SAG Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia) which is
based on the digitized objective-prism photoplates database of the Hamburg
Quasar Survey (HQS). The main goal of this survey is the search for emissi
on-line galaxies (ELG) in order to create a new deep sample of blue compact
galax ies (BCG) in a large sky area. Another important goal of this work i
s to search for new extremely low-metallicity galaxies. We present the firs
t results of spectroscopy obtained with the 2.2m telescope at the German-Sp
anish Observatory at Calar Alto, and with the 6m telescope at the Russian S
pecial Astrophysical Observatory. The primary ELG candidate selection crite
ria applied were a blue continuum (near lambda 4000 Angstrom) and the prese
nce of emission lines close to lambda 5000 Angstrom recognized on digitized
prism spectra of galaxies with magnitudes in the range B = 16.(m)0 - 19.(m
)5. The spectroscopy resulted in the detection or/and quantitative spectral
classification of 74 emission-line objects. Of them 55 are newly discovere
d, and 19 were already known as galaxies before. 11 of the latter have reds
hifts and are known ELGs. For most of the known galaxies emission line rati
os were measured for the first time and an improved classification is prese
nted. 47 objects are classified as BCGs, one as Sy2 galaxy, six as possible
LINERs, and four as new QSOs. The remaining galaxies do not show significa
nt HP and [OIII] lambda lambda 4959, 5007 Angstrom emission lines, and are
likely either low-ionization starburst or dwarf amorphous nuclear starburst
galaxies.