January 9, 2004 - Anne Frank fourth graders were visited today by a very special lady, Eva Schloss. Eva is the step daughter of Otto Frank, Anne Frank's father. Eva was visiting Dallas to attend the opening of a play by the Dallas Theater Center about her famous step sister, Anne Frank. She came to the school to speak to Anne Frank Elementary children and tell her story, published in 2001 by Castle Kent entitled, Eva's Story.

Anne Frank fourth graders under the direction of Shelia Yudenfreund, introduced Eva to the audience. Mrs. Schloss said that there were many schools in Europe named after Anne but this was the only one she knew of in America.

The children listened as she recounted her days in Germany when Hitler's army gained control. She described how hard life was once they were required to register as Jews. All their activities were monitored and restricted by the Nazis. One very curious item she shared with the audience was the original registration booklet that she was required to carry with her at all times.

Eva and her family escaped to Holland, and met the Frank family there, also German. Anne and Eva were about the same age, 11 and 12. She described Anne as a bit more mature and like many 12 year olds, "interested in boys". She described herself though as a "tomboy".

Both families went into hiding once the Nazi troops took over Holland. After two years, the families were found by German authorities and sent to concentration camps. Eva and Anne's families were both interned in Auschwitz . Eva Schloss was very straight forward with the children when she said that in the concentration camps the first to go to the gas chambers were the children and men over 40. She emphasized that no child in the audience would have survived. Eva's mother, Fritzi, gave her a coat and hat to wear hoping to make her look older so she would not be chosen.

While Eva, Fritzi, and Mr. Frank survived Auschwitz, Anne and her mother and other family members were not so lucky.

Eva as a child	Eva 2004