The nation is mourning the loss of Eva Schloss, a Holocaust survivor and stepsister of Anne Frank, who has died at the age of 96. King Charles III led the tributes, recalling his memorable meeting with her in 2022.
A Life Dedicated to Overcoming Hatred
King Charles expressed his and Queen Camilla's profound sadness at the news, stating they had "admired her deeply." The monarch highlighted Schloss's extraordinary commitment to fighting prejudice through her work with the Anne Frank Trust UK, of which the Queen is patron. Schloss co-founded the trust and served as its honorary president, dedicating decades to Holocaust education worldwide.
Her family confirmed her passing on Saturday in a heartfelt notice in the Jewish News, sharing their "great sadness" at losing their beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
From Amsterdam Attics to Auschwitz
Born Eva Geiringer in Vienna, she later lived in Amsterdam where, as a teenager, she befriended Anne Frank. As Nazi persecution intensified, her family spent two years in hiding, moving between safe houses. They were ultimately betrayed by a Nazi sympathiser.
Arrested on her 15th birthday, Eva was brutally interrogated before being deported to Auschwitz in May 1944. During the harrowing three-day train journey, her brother, Heinz, revealed he and their father had hidden 30 of his paintings under an attic floorboard—a story later featured in a London exhibition.
At the death camp, Eva and her mother were forcibly separated from her father and brother, who did not survive.
A Legacy of Resilience in London
After the war, Schloss moved to England, living in London for over 70 years. She married Zvi Schloss in 1952 and they had three daughters. In 1953, her mother married Otto Frank, Anne's father, making Eva Anne Frank's posthumous stepsister.
Reflecting on their childhood, Schloss once noted that Anne, who attended a Montessori school, was "much more mature and grown-up" than she was. In 2021, at the age of 92, she regained Austrian citizenship.
Dan Green, Chief Executive of the Anne Frank Trust, described Schloss as "a beacon of hope and resilience" whose work empowered young people to combat hatred. Her family expressed hope that her legacy would live on through her books, films, and educational resources.
As King Charles concluded in his tribute: "May her memory be a blessing to us all."
