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Show i i i j k Simpson enjoys freedom While thousands of Germans begin a new life of freedom, native German Ilona Beurger Simpson, who now lives in North Salt Lake, pauses to reflect on the past. "We tried so hard to get out and now with things the way they are, people want to go back," Simpson said. "But not me, I'm an American!" I nU . , :;. ' j ft y? 'V ' $ 1 Vl lj . ' ' 1 4... 1 ' One young German girl's desire for freedom led to her eventual escape and life in America. Ilona Simpson's faith helped her realize her dream to have a family and raise them in a free society. Family members include front, Rachel, husband Joe, Nona, and Jeremy. Back, Craig, Michael, David and Steven. Forty-one years ago, Simpson's maternal grandparents, the Dietzes, decided to escape from East Germany. Ger-many. They did not want their children to grow up under government govern-ment oppression. As they formulated for-mulated their plans, they knew that as a family they wanted to become free citizens. Sigfried Dietze, Simpson's uncle was the first to leave East Germany. He swam across a river under the guards at the border, slipping through to the other side. But not everyone could swim the treacherous river. After hearing of a man who helped help-ed people escape into West Germany, Ger-many, Simpson's mother and stepfather step-father wrote to him requesting a 'tour." They could not allow government officials inspecting the mail to suspect anything. As they prepared to leave, they realized the risk was too great to take 3-year-old Dona with them, so Simpson was left with her grandparents. grand-parents. The couple was instructed to meet in a ravine at nightfall. Joining 12 others, they began to walk to the border. Spreading out into small groups, they anxiously watched East German Ger-man soldiers patrol the area. Timing 10-minute intervals, the Koches ran toward the fence, cut a hole and climbed through to West German freedom. They had not gone far when a sharp ' 'Halt ! rang out from behind them. They turned to find a West German guard. He questioned their intentions. "We have no food, no shelter, no jobs for you people here," Simpson said he told them. "You think that all will be well once you are over here. You are wrong. ' The guard escorted them back to the hole they had cut in the fence. He watched as they climbed back through. Stripped of alternatives having gone this far, the couple prayed for guidance. Looking up, they saw a farm house in the distance. Despite perilous government threats if residents were found helping escapees, the farmers hid them until the next night when they again slipped through the fence, this time undetected The family's thoughts turned toward their daughter after Latter-day Latter-day Saints workers provided them with shelter, food and work. They heard of an American Red Cross rescue program designed to bring East German children to the West for medical attention. Secretly, they transported East German children to their parents in the West. Simpson said her grandparents took her to the Red Cross at the train station. To prevent the children from speaking out, they were given hot chocolate with sleeping pills dissolved in it. When the Russian soldiers inspected the train at the border, the children were all asleep. The Dietze grandparents' escape was more complicated. Sigfried Dietze was a wealthy businessman and land owner. The Dietzes slowly began to withdraw money from the bank while Liddy Dietze sewed the they have never had before," Simpson Simp-son said. "Poland and other countries are afraid that Germany will try to expand their borders again. This is understandable, but it would take someone like Adolf Hitler to interest inter-est the German people in a war now. ' ' money into her clothing. Later, they were flown unharmed over the border in a private airplane under attack from the guards below. The reunited family's next step was to immigrate to America. Realizing that under U.S. immigration immigra-tion laws they would not be allowed into America, they left for Canada. Later, after becoming Canadian citizens, they were able to come to myself. I will never go back though, I'm an American. My father would be sad if he knew, but it is the truth." As travel opened up, a grocery store located close to the old border is continually sold out in the first hours after opening. "East Germans Ger-mans flock across the border to buy pineapples and coconuts, things the United States and become citizens. "My father never thought he would live to see the wall come down,' Simpson said. "When it came down, he called crying with joy. There comes a time when people peo-ple have paid enough for their sins. It was time for the wall to come down. "I'm glad that I will never have to go through that experience again. I would not have been raised in my church or have any freedoms. We are so blessed in this country. We don't realize.' Three years ago, Simpson went back to Germany for the first time since her escape. "I saw 300-year-old buildings leaning against each other just to stay up, with people living in them. The country is still in the dark ages. "When I went back over, I was immediately accepted,' Simpson said. "I felt a bonding with the country and it helped me to find |