Jonny Gould’s Jewish State

46: Eva Schloss: Anne Frank's stepsister, "I forgive the Nazis"

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Today’s guest is Anne Frank’s stepsister, Holocaust survivor and world renowned speaker, Eva Schloss. Eva Schloss, step-sister of Anne Frank, forgives the Nazis.

Aged just 11, her happy family life in Vienna was cancelled as the Germans annexed Austria, turning the populous against the Jews in an instant.

She describes this national mood change as “unbelievable”. Non-Jewish friends suddenly shunned her and her older brother was severely beaten by classmates.

With her family, she fled for her life through Belgium and Holland, as the Nazis mercilessly hunted Europe’s Jews. Young Eva had to adapt to new schools, languages and countries and was bullied by fellow children and even teachers.

Eventually, betrayed by a Dutch underground agent, she was captured and sent to Auschwitz. In 1945, barely alive, she was rescued with her mother by Soviet troops.

Her father and brother were killed. But the 91-year-old survivor says, “Forgiving is most difficult because the human consciousness has a hard time living in the present”.

She’s on a mission to talk for her family and the millions of others, senselessly slaughtered by the Nazis and their European accomplices during World War II.

Eva is now a prolific speaker around the world on the horrors of the Holocaust and knows what true forgiveness means.

Could you forgive like she has?

With sincere thanks to my good friend Rabbi Yosef Vogel and his Centre for Jewish Life for this incredible interview opportunity and you’ll hear Yosef towards the end of the interview with his rabbinic insights.

This is Eva Schloss🎧

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