A personal message from the King
King Charles shared a deeply personal message following the death of Eva Schloss, Anne Frank’s stepsister and a Holocaust survivor, who passed away on January 3, 202, at the age of 96. The message was posted a day later after the Anne Frank House confirmed the news of Eva’s passing.
Speaking on behalf of himself and Queen Camilla Parker, the King expressed profound sadness and highlighted Eva’s extraordinary strength and compassion. He reflected on the unimaginable horrors she endured as a young woman and praised her lifelong commitment to fighting hatred through education, empathy, and courage.
“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, promoting kindness, courage, understanding, and resilience through her tireless work for the Anne Frank Trust U.K. and for Holocaust education across the world,” King Charles said.
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A life dedicated to remembrance
Eva Schloss survived Auschwitz with her mother after her father and brother were taken to Nazi concentration camps. Born in Austria in 1929, the same year as Anne Frank, Eva later became her neighbor in Amsterdam, where both families went into hiding in 1942. Anne died at age 15 at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Meanwhile, the Schloss family was sent to concentration camps in 1944 after being betrayed. Her father and brother were murdered, and Eva and her mother survived the Auschwitz concentration camp. Eva went on to become a leading voice in Holocaust education and co-founded the Anne Frank Trust U.K., reaching tens of thousands of young people each year.
A legacy that lives on
King Charles, who signed the message with his regnal signature Charles R, described Eva as someone he and Queen Camilla deeply admired. The pair had met her several times, including at a Hanukkah event in December 2022. Eva also authored three books, including Eva’s Story, After Auschwitz, and The Promise. She remained active in education well into her later years. Meanwhile, Anne Frank Trust U.K. worked with over 132,000 young students through its Schools Program and reached another 45,500 young people by educating 5,300 Peer Educators.