Auschwitz Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as King Charles Pays Tributes
King Charles has offered condolences to the step-sister of Anne Frank 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 King Charles in a message posted on social media.
He continued, "The horrors that she experienced as a teenager are impossible to comprehend and yet she dedicated the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."
A Life Dedicated to Awareness
Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary head of the Anne Frank educational trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as Royal 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 captured and deported to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Anne Frank Trust said Mrs Schloss died in London on 3 January. "In her youth, Eva Schloss-Geiringer lived in Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.
Survival and Loss
When Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Red Army in January 1945, they were barely alive. Her brother and father both died in captivity.
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 four decades, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to prevent 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 widely-read diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold over 30 million copies.
- Mrs Schloss often journeyed across Europe, speaking to young people in particular and spreading a message not to hate.
"I have worked very, very hard to change people's attitudes," Mrs Schloss remarked in an interview. "Each person you convince 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 made London their home and became UK citizens. Mr Schloss passed away in London in 2016. They are survived by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
