Auschwitz Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as The Monarch Pays Tributes
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 death of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute posted on social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she endured as a teenager are difficult to comprehend and yet she devoted the remainder of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary head 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 chased from their home in Austria. They lived as refugees in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "As a girl, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Survival and Loss
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both died in captivity.
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 prevent history from repeating itself.
- As co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she preserved 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 over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often travelled across Europe, addressing young people in particular and promoting a message not to hate.
"I worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss once said. "Each person you convince not to be racist is a step forward."
Subsequent Years
In 1951, Mrs Schloss moved to London to learn photography. There she met her husband, Zvi Schloss, a German Jew who had fled to Palestine during the war.
The couple made London their home and became UK citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
