By COLlive reporter
Mrs. Eva Schloss, a survivor of the Nazi atrocities during the Second World War who became a devoted Holocaust educator, passed away on Shabbos, 13 Teves 5786 in London, England.
She was 96.
Born Eva Geiringer in Vienna in 1929, she fled with her family to Amsterdam after Nazi Germany annexed Austria. There, she became close friends with Anne Frank.
Like the Frank family, Eva and her relatives went into hiding following the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. After being betrayed, they were deported to the death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland.
Eva and her mother survived until liberation in 1945; her father and brother were murdered by the Nazis.
After the war, Schloss settled in Britain, marrying German Jewish refugee Zvi Schloss and building a family in London. In 1953, her mother married Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father and the sole survivor of his immediate family.
For many years, Schloss remained silent about her experiences, later explaining that trauma and grief had left her withdrawn and angry. That changed in the mid-1980s, when she began speaking publicly. From that point forward, she dedicated her life to Holocaust education, sharing her testimony with students, educators, policymakers, and faith communities around the world.
A significant chapter of that mission was her long-standing partnership with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, Schloss was a frequent guest at Chabad centers across the globe, headlining large-scale “Historic Evening” programs that drew thousands.
Organized by local Chabad shluchim in New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, California, the events brought together Jews and non-Jews, civic leaders, students, and educators to hear Schloss recount her survival and her personal memories.
She also met with university students at campuses, including Washington University and Chapman University, ensuring that a new generation would engage directly with a Holocaust survivor.
These sessions often included extended Q&A discussions led by rabbis and rebbetzins, emphasizing moral responsibility, courage, and the obligation to confront injustice.
VIDEO: Mrs. Eva Schloss in conversation with Rabbi Yitzchok Schochet of England
A central theme in Schloss’s talks was the danger of silence. She frequently warned that hatred does not begin with gas chambers, but with words, small shifts in norms, and the dehumanization of others.
Drawing parallels between Nazi-era Europe and contemporary society, she urged young people to speak up against prejudice and discrimination wherever they appear.
Schloss distinguished between mere “tolerance” and true respect, teaching that a just world requires acceptance, dignity, and equality for every human being. At the same time, she conveyed a message of hope, describing her journey from bitterness to purpose and her determination to live not in hatred but in light.
Schloss continued speaking and advocating well into her 90s, including campaigns against Holocaust denial and antisemitism online. Her family described her as “a remarkable woman” whose legacy will live on through her books, films, and the countless lives she touched.
Britain’s King Charles III paid tribute to Schloss, praising her courage and lifelong dedication to education and kindness.
“My wife and I are greatly saddened to hear of the death of Eva Schloss. 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 UK and for Holocaust education across the world.
“We are both privileged and proud to have known her, and we admired her deeply. May her memory be a blessing to us all.”
Schloss is survived by her three daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her voice, her testimony, and her unwavering message of choosing light over darkness remain an enduring legacy for generations to come.
She is survived by their three daughters, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Zvi Schloss in 2016.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
So brave to have overcome the trauma to speak about her experiences. Thankyou for this collive