Holocaust Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as The Monarch Leads Tributes
King Charles has offered condolences to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"We both are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute posted on social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she experienced as a teenager are impossible to comprehend and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Dedicated to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary president of the Anne Frank educational trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Patron.
In the Second World War era, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "As a girl, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Survival and Loss
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her father and brother both perished in captivity.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive imprisonment by the Nazis.
A Lasting Legacy
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to stop history from happening again.
- As co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she preserved Anne Frank's memory and informed people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's internationally famous diary—a personal testimony of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to the youth in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person you convince not to be racist is a step forward."
Subsequent Years
In 1951, Mrs Schloss moved to London to study photography. There she met her husband, Zvi Schloss, a German Jew who had escaped to Palestine during the war.
The couple settled in London and became British citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
