Mata Hari
1876-1917
Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was a
Dutch dancer and courtesan who went by the stage name Mata Hari, which
meant "Eye of the Day" - i.e. Sun - in Malay. During the First World
War, she freely traveled across borders as a citizen of a neutral
country. She also slept around with many important men. The intelligence services of both sides tried to recruit her,
but she probably did very little useful spying in either direction.
Eventually the French needed a scapegoat for recent military reverses,
so they arrested and shot her on
charges of spying
for Germany.
