Auschwitz Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as The Monarch Pays Respects
The King has led tributes to the step-sister of Anne Frank and survivor of the Holocaust Eva Schloss, who has died at the age of 96.
"We both are greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," wrote King Charles in a message shared via social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a young woman are difficult to fathom and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Patron.
In the Second World War era, Mrs Schloss and her family were chased from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the notorious Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Survival and Tragedy
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both perished in the camps.
After being repatriated 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.
An Enduring Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to stop history from happening again.
- As co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she safeguarded Anne Frank's memory and educated people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's internationally famous diary—a personal testimony of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold more than 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to the youth in particular and promoting a message not to hate.
"I worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss once said. "Each person you persuade not to be racist is a step forward."
Later Life
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.
