Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as King Charles Pays Respects
King Charles has offered condolences to Anne Frank's step-sister and survivor of the Holocaust Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.
"We both are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated the King in a message shared via social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Education
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where Queen Camilla serves as Patron.
In the 1940s, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being captured 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, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust noted.
Endurance and Loss
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed 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—known as Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive internment by the Nazis.
A Lasting Legacy
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to stop 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 widely-read 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, speaking to the youth in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to alter people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss once said. "Each person you convince not to be racist is a positive."
Later Life
In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated to London to study 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 passed away in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
