Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at Age 96 as King Charles Leads Tributes
The King has offered condolences 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," stated the King in a message shared via social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she experienced as a young woman are difficult to comprehend and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Royal Patron.
In the 1940s, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being captured and sent to the infamous Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Survival and Tragedy
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 perished in captivity.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived internment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Legacy
Over the past four decades, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to prevent 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 internationally famous diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold more than 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, addressing young people in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"I worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss once said. "Every individual you persuade not to be racist is a step forward."
Later Life
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 British citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
