Holocaust Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as King Charles Pays Respects
The King has led tributes to the step-sister of Anne Frank 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 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."
A Life Dedicated to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Royal 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 apprehended and deported to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "As a girl, 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 Soviet army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both perished in the camps.
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.
An Enduring Legacy
Over the past 40 years, 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 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 travelled across Europe, addressing the youth in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"I have 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."
Subsequent Years
In 1951, Mrs Schloss moved 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 British citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
