Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as The Monarch Leads Respects
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 deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute posted on social media.
He added, "The horrors that she endured as a teenager are impossible to fathom and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Patron.
In the 1940s, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They lived as refugees in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the infamous Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Loss
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both died in the camps.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—known as Fritzi—married 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 dedicated her life to trying to prevent history from happening again.
- As a 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 travelled across Europe, speaking to the youth in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"I have worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Every individual you convince not to be racist is a positive."
Subsequent Years
In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated 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 UK citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
