Auschwitz Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as King Charles Pays Respects
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.
"We both are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a message posted on social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a young woman are difficult to fathom and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Royal 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 apprehended and deported to the notorious Auschwitz death camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
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 died in the camps.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived imprisonment by the Nazis.
A Lasting 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 internationally famous diary—a personal testimony of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold more than 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to young people in particular and promoting a message not to hate.
"I have worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person 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 fled 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.
