Eva Schloss, the Holocaust survivor and lifelong advocate for educating others about the horrors of hatred and prejudice, has passed away at the age of 96. Known for her deep commitment to promoting understanding, Schloss was also the stepsister of Anne Frank, the renowned diarist.

Her foundation announced her death, which occurred in London, a city she called home for many years.

A Legacy of Resilience

King Charles III of the United Kingdom expressed his admiration for Schloss, saying he felt “privileged and proud” to have known her. Schloss co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK, which strives to empower young individuals to challenge societal prejudices. The King acknowledged the unimaginable horrors she faced during her youth but praised her lifelong dedication to combating hate and advancing kindness, courage, and understanding – values she championed through her extensive work in Holocaust education.

Schloss’s Early Life and Tragic Past

Born Eva Geiringer in Vienna in 1929, she and her family fled to Amsterdam following the Nazi annexation of Austria. There, she befriended Anne Frank, another Jewish girl her age whose diary would become a poignant symbol of the Holocaust. Like the Frank family, Eva’s family hid for two years in a bid to escape Nazi capture. Sadly, they were betrayed, arrested, and sent to Auschwitz.

Schloss and her mother, Fritzi, survived until liberation by Soviet forces in 1945, while her father, Erich, and brother, Heinz, tragically lost their lives in the camp.

A New Chapter in the UK

Following the war, Eva relocated to the United Kingdom, where she married Zvi Schloss, a fellow Jewish refugee. In 1953, her mother married Otto Frank, Anne’s father—the sole survivor of his family.

Anne Frank’s life was cut short by typhus at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at just 15 years old, mere months before the war concluded.

Speaking Out for Future Generations

For decades, Schloss remained silent about her traumatic past, stating that wartime experiences left her withdrawn and disconnected from those around her. “I was silent for years, first because I wasn’t allowed to speak. Then, I repressed it. I was angry with the world,” she remarked in an interview in 2004.

However, a pivotal moment in 1986—when she spoke at the launch of an Anne Frank exhibition in London—propelled her into a lifelong mission of educating younger generations about the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis. From that time onward, she shared her story in schools, prisons, and international forums, including in her book, Eva’s Story: A Survivor’s Tale by the Stepsister of Anne Frank.

Even into her 90s, she advocated tirelessly, urging, “We must never forget the terrible consequences of treating people as ‘other’.”

Survived by Family

Eva Schloss is survived by her three daughters, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who continue her legacy of love and resilience.