The life and legacy of Eva Schloss, part 2

Eva Schloss, the Holocaust survivor and stepsister of Anne Frank, died on 3 January 2026 at the age of 96.

In 2022, she spoke to Outlook’s Emily Webb about being childhood friends and neighbours with Anne Frank in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Both their families were forced into hiding, ultimately betrayed and deported to Auschwitz where they had a harrowing experience. After the war, Eva became Anne’s posthumous stepsister when her mother married Otto Frank, Anne’s father. When Otto first discovered Anne’s now world-famous diary, he showed it to Eva. It was an emotional moment that reminded Eva of her last conversation with her beloved brother Heinz. A gifted artist, he had told Eva where he had hidden his cache of secret paintings and she was determined to bring them to light.

Eva shared her extraordinary Holocaust testimony over two episodes. In this second episode, she describes her memories of the liberation of Auschwitz, her efforts to keep her brother Heinz’s memory alive and why it took 40 years to share her story. In part one, you can hear about her recollections of Anne Frank, life before Auschwitz and her family’s eventual capture.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar

Producer: Maryam Maruf

Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: A black and white photo of Eva Schloss on her wedding day in 1952 with her husband Zvi. Standing next to them is Eva's mother Fritzi and Otto Frank. Credit: Courtesy of Eva Schloss)