Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as The Monarch Pays Tributes
The King has led tributes to the step-sister of Anne Frank and survivor of the Holocaust Eva Schloss, who has died at the age of 96.
"My wife and I are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," wrote the King in a message shared via social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a teenager are difficult to comprehend and yet she devoted the remainder of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Dedicated to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Patron.
In the 1940s, Mrs Schloss and her family were chased from their home in Austria. They lived as refugees 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. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, near 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 barely alive. Her father and brother both perished in captivity.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—known as Fritzi—wed 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 happening again.
- As co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she preserved Anne Frank's memory and educated people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's internationally famous 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 spreading a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Every individual you persuade not to be racist is a step forward."
Later Life
In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated to London to learn photography. There she met her husband, Zvi Schloss, a German Jew who had escaped 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.
