Holocaust Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as King Charles Leads Tributes
King Charles has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and survivor of the Holocaust 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 message posted on social media.
He continued, "The atrocities that she endured as a teenager are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted the rest of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary head of the Anne Frank educational trust, an organization where the Queen Consort 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 captured and sent to the infamous Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Loss
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Red Army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both died in the camps.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived imprisonment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to stop history from repeating itself.
- As a founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she preserved Anne Frank's memory and informed people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's widely-read diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often travelled across Europe, addressing the youth in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to change 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 escaped to Palestine during the war.
The couple made London their home and became UK citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
