ZINGERIS
After Lithuania had become a member on 14 May 1993, as a Parliamentarian and as a Philologist, Emmanuel got into Committee on Culture and Education of the Parliamentary Assembly. At that time the Committee was headed by Mrs. Leny Fischer (Germany), but the Parliamentary Assembly was headed by Miguel Angelo Martinez (Spain). It is significant to say that the latter had been earlier Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Education, but Leny Fischer was going to become President of the Parliamentary Assembly. Later she will be substituted by Sir Russel Johnston, who in his turn will become President of the Parliamentary Assembly. This shows the importance of the Committe on Culture and Education in the Parliamentary Assembly. Only in 5 years Emmanuel succeeded to become Vice-Chairman of this Committee (1998), but in April 1999 he was appointed member of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly. This was a way to the post of the President of the Assembly.
The Parliamentary Assembly is the main, legislative body of the Council of Europe. Its executive body is the Committee of Ministers consisting of ministers of foreign affairs of all countries members of the Council of Europe. This Committee in its turn has a lot of sub-committees. All this mechanism is served with an army of hired clerks headed by the Secretariat. When Emmanuel got into the Council of Europe, its Secretary General was Daniel Tarschys from Sweden. Nevertheless real roots of D. Tarschys are not in Sweden but in Lithuania, he is a descendant of the Litvaks, so famous in their role in culture and politics all over the world. No wonder, Emmanuel became a friend of D. Tarschys who had heard about Emmanuel already before his coming to the Council of Europe.
Emmanuel's origin as well as his experience in the field of Litvaks' history and culture were appreciated by the Committee: he was appointed Rapporteur on Yiddish culture in Europe in November 1994 (till March 1996). In the history of the Parliamentary Assembly Emmanuel remains as the first Rapporteur from the Baltic countries.
The first report on Jewish culture to the Parliamentary Assemby had been performed earlier by M.A. Martinez who had studied the situation of the Sefardic Jews in Spain. The report of Emmanuel had to supplement this study with data concerning Yiddish of Ashkenazim in the Northern part of Europe.
Series of facts finding missions were carried out in order to create this report. The main mission was in Germany. As a result a huge contribution of Germany was cleared up in restoring Yiddish heritage ruined by the Nazis. All this was later reflected in the report.
The report 'Yiddish Culture' was accomplished and presented to the Assembly on 20 March 1996. The report was adopted with the Recommendation 1291. Its point 9 i confirms the proposal of the author to restitute looted Yiddish cultural property, but the point 9 vii it confirms Rapporteur's proposal to establish European Institute for Dispersed Ethnic Minorities as an instrument of the Council of Europe to realize the Recommendation itself. As a result, Emmanuel was appointed Rapporteur on looted Jewish assets and heritage, but he was invited to Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets in November/ December 1998 as a Council of Europe Rapporteur on this subject:
As for the proposal to set up European Institute for Dispersed Ethnic minorities, it passed all necessary procedures at 4 sub-committees of the Committee of Ministers which finally presented its positive indication to the Recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly at the 650th A level meeting of the ministers deputies on 24-25 November 1998 [CM/Del/Dec (98)]. Then the Institute, already established in Lithuania, was granted auspices of the Council of Europe.
Of course, the activities of Emmanuel in the Parliamentary Assembly could not be restricted to questions of the Yiddish culture or looted Jewish cultural assets. At the time he was appointed Rapporteur on looted Jewish assets and heritage, Emmanuel had been Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human and Civil Rights in Lithuania. This was a new stage in his career. One of his significant works was his Report to the Assembly on the cultural situation in Serbia (repressions against universities� autonomy and freedom of press) in January 1999. As said above, he was appointed member of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly in April 1999.
