Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at Age 96 as The Monarch Pays Tributes
The King has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and survivor of the Holocaust Eva Schloss, who has died 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 teenager are impossible to comprehend and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Committed to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as 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 captured and sent 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.
Survival and Loss
By the time 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 repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive internment by the Nazis.
A Lasting Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to prevent history from repeating itself.
- As a founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she safeguarded Anne Frank's memory and informed 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 travelled across Europe, speaking to the youth in particular and spreading a message of tolerance.
"I have worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person you persuade 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 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.
