Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as The Monarch Leads Tributes
King Charles has offered condolences to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"We both are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated the King in a tribute posted on social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she endured as a young woman are difficult to comprehend and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary president of the Anne Frank educational 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 captured and deported to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced 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 Tragedy
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Red Army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both died in captivity.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriedeâknown as Fritziâwed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive imprisonment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to stop history from repeating itself.
- As co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she safeguarded Anne Frank's memory and educated people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's widely-read diaryâa first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupationâhas sold over 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. "Each person 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 survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
