Eva Schloss, a Holocaustsurvivor and the stepsister of Anne Frank, has died at 96.
In a tribute to her, her family voiced hope that Schloss' legacy would "continue to inspire through books, films and resources" the Auschwitzsurvivor left behind.
"We are incredibly proud of all that Eva stood for and accomplished, but right now, we are grieving."
Tributes to Schloss were pouring in, including from Britain's King Charles III, who said he was "privileged and proud" to have known her personally, adding both himself and Queen Camilla "admired her deeply."
Austrian-born Schloss was the honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust UK. She dedicated her life to educating people on the risks of intolerance and prejudice.
"We must never forget the terrible consequences of treating people as ‘other'" she said in 2024.
Anne Frank Trust chief executive Dan Green described her as "a beacon of hope and resilience."
"Her unwavering commitment to challenging prejudice through Holocaust education has left an indelible mark on countless lives," he said.
"We at the Anne Frank Trust mourn her loss deeply and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time," Green said.
Schloss was a teenager when the Nazis took over her native Austria, which resulted in her family fleeing to the Netherlands. There, she got to know Anne Frank, whose family had fled Frankfurt to seek refuge in Amsterdam.
As the situation in the Dutch city began to worsen, Schloss' family started moving houses to reduce the chances of being caught by the Nazis, before being betrayed by a Nazi sympathiser who turned them in.
15-year-old Eva Schloss was taken to Auschwitz with her mother Fritzi, father Erich and brother Heinz.
Erich and Heinz did not survive, while Eva and Fritzi did.
The two met again after the war, and her mother married Otto Frank, Anne's father.
While she survived, the Holocaust left both physical and mental scars and resulted in Schloss being unable to connect with people for years, while also suffering from nightmares.
Physically, Schloss suffered from digestion issues due to the starvation conditions in Auschwitz, as well as frostbite due to her long walk to freedom after the war's end in the winter of 1945.
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