Eva Schloss, stepsister of Anne Frank and an Auschwitz survivor, died in London on Jan. 3 at age 96. She co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK and spent her life educating the public about the Holocaust, publishing three books and advocating for tolerance. Her family praised her dedication to remembrance and requested privacy while they grieve. King Charles paid tribute to her lifelong work opposing hatred and prejudice.
Eva Schloss, Anne Frank’s Stepsister and Auschwitz Survivor, Dies at 96 — A Lifelong Champion of Holocaust Education
Chris Jackson-Pool/GettyEva Schloss in London in 2022
Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank and a survivor of Auschwitz, died in London on Jan. 3 at the age of 96, the Anne Frank House announced. Schloss spent decades speaking about her experiences and promoting Holocaust education, remembrance and tolerance.
Life, Survival and Family
Born in Austria in 1929 to Elfriede and Erich Geiringer, Schloss’s family moved to Amsterdam to escape Nazi persecution and became neighbors of the Frank family. Both families went into hiding in 1942. In 1944 Schloss and her family were captured and deported to concentration camps. Eva and her mother, Elfriede, survived Auschwitz; her father, Erich, and her brother, Heinz, did not.
Ulf Andersen/GettyEva Schloss during a portrait session in Paris in 2009
After the war Schloss settled in London and married Zvi Schloss. In 1953 her mother Elfriede married Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, making Eva and Anne stepsisters by marriage.
Work, Writings and Legacy
Schloss dedicated much of her life to Holocaust remembrance and education. She co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK in 1990 and served as its honorary president, helping to create programs and resources that encourage young people to challenge prejudice.
alamyEva Schloss and her mother Elfriede Geiringer on April 24, 1989.
She authored three books recounting her experiences and reflections: Eva's Story, After Auschwitz and The Promise. In 2024 she reiterated her central message: "We must never forget the terrible consequences of treating people as ‘other.’ We need to respect everybody’s races and religions. We need to live together with our differences."
Reactions
Schloss was remembered by her family as a "dear mother, grandmother and great-grandmother" and "a remarkable woman: an Auschwitz survivor, a devoted Holocaust educator, tireless in her work for remembrance, understanding and peace." The family asked for privacy while they grieve and said a memorial event will be arranged at a later date.
"The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend, and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice," King Charles wrote in a tribute. "May her memory be a blessing to us all."
Queen Camilla joined Schloss at public memorial events, including the 2022 Anne Frank Lunch for Holocaust Memorial Day in London, where they lit candles to honor victims as the 75th anniversary of the publication of Anne Frank’s diary was observed.
Survivors
Schloss is survived by her three daughters: Caroline, Jacqueline (Jacky) and Sylvia. Her legacy includes her books, the educational work of the Anne Frank Trust UK and the many lives she touched through testimony, talks and resources aimed at combating hatred and fostering understanding.
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