Mata Hari

Mata Hari, exotic dancer and convicted spy, made her name synonymous with femme fatale during World War I.

Mata Hari was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida (Grietje) Zelle (7 August, 1876, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands – 15 October, 1917, Vincennes, France). She was a Dutch-Frisian exotic dancer. She was executed by firing squad. People at the time thought she was a spy during World War I and because she had relationships with both German and French officers, they thought she was a double agent. Her dossier will not be released until 2017 (a hundred years after her death).