Holocaust Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as King Charles Pays Tributes
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.
"My wife and I are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss," stated King Charles in a tribute posted on social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she experienced as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to overcoming 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 chased from their home in Austria. They lived as refugees in the Netherlands before being apprehended and sent to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
Endurance and Tragedy
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were liberated by the Soviet army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both died in captivity.
After being repatriated to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—wed Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also managed to survive internment by the Nazis.
A Lasting 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 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, addressing the youth in particular and promoting a message of tolerance.
"I worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Every individual you persuade 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 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.
