Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Passes Away at Age 96 as The Monarch Pays Tributes
The King has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and survivor of the Holocaust Eva Schloss, who has died at the age of 96.
"We both are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute posted on social media.
He added, "The atrocities that she endured as a teenager are difficult to comprehend and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
An Existence Dedicated to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the founding member and honorary head of the Anne Frank educational trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Patron.
In the Second World War era, Mrs Schloss and her family were forced from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the notorious Auschwitz death 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.
Survival and Loss
By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father 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 survived imprisonment by the Nazis.
An Enduring Impact
Over the past 40 years, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to prevent history from repeating itself.
- 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 personal testimony of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often travelled across Europe, speaking to young people in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"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 positive."
Subsequent Years
In 1951, Mrs Schloss moved 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 died in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.