Auschwitz Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at Age 96 as The Monarch Pays Tributes
The King has offered condolences 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 passing of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a message shared via social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she endured as a young woman are difficult to fathom and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Education
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary president of the Anne Frank educational trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Royal Patron.
In the Second World War era, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons 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. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Tragedy
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Red Army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both perished in captivity.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived internment 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 informed people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's widely-read 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, addressing young people in particular and promoting a message not to hate.
"I worked very, very hard to change 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 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 British citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
