Auschwitz Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at 96 Years Old as King Charles Pays Respects
King Charles has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who has died at the age of 96.
"We both are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Eva Schloss," stated the King in a message shared via social media.
He continued, "The atrocities 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, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Committed to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary president of the Anne Frank educational 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 infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
Survival and Tragedy
When 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 the camps.
After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—known as Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive imprisonment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Legacy
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 preserved Anne Frank's memory and educated people about the Holocaust.
- Frank's widely-read 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, addressing 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 positive."
Later Life
In 1951, Mrs Schloss moved 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 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.
