Auschwitz Camp Survivor Eva Schloss Dies at 96 Years Old as King Charles Pays Tributes

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

He added, "The atrocities that she experienced as a teenager are difficult to comprehend and yet she dedicated the remainder of her life to fighting hatred and prejudice, promoting 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 Queen Camilla serves as Royal Patron.

In the 1940s, Mrs Schloss and her family were chased from their home in Austria. They existed as displaced persons in the Netherlands before being captured and sent to the notorious Auschwitz death camp.

The Anne Frank Trust announced Mrs Schloss passed away in London on 3 January. "As a girl, Eva Schloss-Geiringer resided in Amsterdam, opposite Anne Frank's home," the trust stated.

Survival and Tragedy

By the time Mrs Schloss and her mother were freed by the Red Army in January 1945, they were clinging to life. Her brother and father both died in captivity.

After being repatriated 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 40 years, Mrs Schloss dedicated her life to trying to prevent history from happening again.

• As a founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, she safeguarded Anne Frank's memory and educated people about the Holocaust.
• Frank's internationally famous diary—a first-hand account of life for Jewish people under Nazi occupation—has sold more than 30 million copies.
• Mrs Schloss often travelled across Europe, addressing the youth in particular and promoting a message not to hate.

"I have 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."

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 British citizens. Mr Schloss died in London in 2016. They are remembered by their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.