Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at 96 Years Old as The Monarch Pays Tributes
King Charles has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"We both are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," wrote King Charles in a message shared via social media.
He continued, "The atrocities that she endured as a young woman are difficult to fathom and yet she devoted the rest of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Education
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as 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 apprehended and deported to the notorious Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Loss
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Red Army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both died in captivity.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—known as Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive imprisonment by the Nazis.
A Lasting Legacy
Over the past four decades, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to stop 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 more than 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to young people in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person you convince not to be racist is a step forward."
Later Life
In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated 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 remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
