Auschwitz Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at Age 96 as King Charles Pays Respects

The King has led tributes to Anne Frank's step-sister and Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, who passed away at the age of 96.

He continued, "The atrocities that she experienced as a young woman are difficult to fathom and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, fostering kindness, courage, understanding and resilience."

An Existence Dedicated to Awareness

Mrs Schloss was the co-founder and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust, an organization where the Queen Consort serves as 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 captured 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 lived 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 clinging to life. Her brother and father both perished in the camps.

After being returned to Amsterdam, her mother Elfriede—called Fritzi—married Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, who had also survived internment by the Nazis.

An Enduring Impact

Over the past four decades, Mrs Schloss devoted her efforts to trying to stop history from happening again.

• 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, addressing young people in particular and promoting a message not to hate.

"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 step forward."

Subsequent Years

In 1951, Mrs Schloss relocated 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 remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.