Short answers, pulled from the story.
German sculptor Renée Sintenis created the original model in 1932. The bear design was already the heraldic animal of Berlin and appeared on both the city's coat of arms and flag before becoming the festival prize.
The Berlin International Film Festival began in 1951 with a prize that looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. Five different Golden Bears were awarded across separate categories and genres during that first year.
Ang Lee stands alone as the only filmmaker to win the Golden Bear twice. He received his first award for The Wedding Banquet in 1993 and his second win came four years later for Sense and Sensibility in 1996.
No awards were given in 1970 because of controversy surrounding Michael Verhoeven's anti-war film o.k. This decision reflected deep political tensions within the festival itself during that era.
Audience members took over the decision-making process between 1952 and 1955 before the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films formally accredited the festival in 1956. Since that accreditation date, an international jury has selected the winner every single year.