Auschwitz Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at Age 96 as King Charles Leads Tributes
King Charles has offered condolences to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who has died at the age of 96.
"My wife and I are greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," stated the King in a tribute posted on 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 fighting hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Committed 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 lived as refugees in the Netherlands before being apprehended and deported to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "As a girl, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
Survival and Loss
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Red Army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her father and brother both perished in the camps.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived imprisonment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Legacy
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 diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often travelled across Europe, addressing young people in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person you convince 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 fled to Palestine during the war.
The couple made London their home and became British citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
