Mrs. Eva Schloss, In 1938, Germany invaded Austria, causing many Jewish families to flee Austria to avoid persecution. Among the emigrants was 8-year old Eva Geiringer, who with her mother, brother, and father moved first to Belgium and then to Holland, where one of her neighbors was a German Jewish girl of the same age. In July of 1942, both girls and their families went into hiding in Holland, after some time both families were betrayed, captured and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
BIO Mrs. Eva Schloss, of London, UK, is the stepsister and childhood friend of Anne Frank. Mrs. Schloss is a trustee of the Anne Frank Educational Trust, an author of three books, and the subject of James Still’s play, “And Then They Came for ME: Remembering the World of Anne Frank.” Like her stepsister, Eva went into hiding in Holland until she, along with her family, was betrayed, captured, and sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Since 1985, Eva Schloss has devoted herself to holocaust education and global peace. She has recounted her wartime experiences in more than one thousand speaking engagements. In 1999, Eva signed the Anne Frank Peace Declaration, along with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and the niece of Raul Wallenberg, a legendary figure who rescued thousands of Jews in Budapest.
The two girls became friends and playmates (though, as Eva would say many years later, the girl was "much more grown-up and mature than me"). They passed the time by skipping, playing hopscotch and marbles, and drinking lemonade that the girl's mother prepared.
Eva survived her concentration camp experience and made her way to England, where she married Zvi Schloss and raised three daughters. She worked as a studio photographer and ran an antique shop.
Her step-sister did not survive and was killed in Bergen-Belsen, but kept a diary that did. Her name was Anne Frank.
Since 1985, Eva Schloss has devoted herself to holocaust education and global peace. She has recounted her wartime experiences in more than one thousand speaking engagements. She has written two books and has had a play written about her life. In 1999 Eva signed the Anne Frank Peace Declaration along with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and the niece of Raul Wallenberg, a legendary figure who rescued thousands of Jews in Budapest.
Eva joins many courageous individuals who work tirelessly to end the violence and bigotry plaguing our world. Her story is sensational and difficult to imagine. Yet, Eva's insightful message reminds us that life is precious and fragile, the creative spirit is stronger than fear, the power of good is immeasurable, and that love makes a difference.
Eva joins many courageous individuals who work tirelessly to end the violence and bigotry plaguing our world. Her story is sensational and difficult to imagine. Yet, Eva's insightful message reminds us that life is precious and fragile, the creative spirit is stronger than fear, the power of good is immeasurable, and that love makes a difference.
ב"ה