Born in Leewarden in 1876, Margaretha
Zelle moved to France and changed her
name to Mata Hari. As a nude dancer, she
gained fame and entry into high circles.
During WWI she was asked by the French
to spy on the Germans. Arrested by the
British during her first mission in
1915, her alibis were airtight and she
was released but kept under close
survelliance. The French became
suspicious because she had lovers on
both sides and was being paid by the
Germans to “keep them company.”
Arrested
and interrogated by the Secret Service
when entering France, Mata Hari
confessed to being a German spy. In the
trial that followed she was condemned as
“one of the greatest spies of the
century, responsible for the deaths of
tens of thousands of soldiers,” and in
1917 executed before a firing squad.
Claiming her innocence to the end, Mata
Hari never disclosed who she worked for
and the files on her case are still
closed.
Born in Leewarden in 1876, Margaretha
Zelle moved to France and changed her
name to Mata Hari. As a nude dancer, she
gained fame and entry into high circles.
During WWI she was asked by the French
to spy on the Germans. Arrested by the
British during her first mission in
1915, her alibis were airtight and she
was released but kept under close
survelliance. The French became
suspicious because she had lovers on
both sides and was being paid by the
Germans to “keep them company.”
