Auschwitz Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at 96 Years Old as King Charles Pays Tributes
King Charles has offered condolences to the step-sister of Anne Frank and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"My wife and I are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," wrote King Charles in a tribute shared via social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a teenager are difficult to fathom and yet she devoted the remainder of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Committed to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as 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 captured and deported to the notorious 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, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Loss
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her father and brother both perished in the camps.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive internment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to stop history from happening again.
- As a founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she preserved Anne Frank's memory and informed people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's internationally famous diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold more than 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to the youth in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"I have worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss once said. "Every individual 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 UK citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
