Mata Hari, Dutch Exotic Dancer and Courtesan

Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (ncee Zelle August 7, 1876 - October 15, 1917), AKA Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan. Promiscuous, flirtatious, and openly flaunting her body, she captivated her audiences and was an overnight success from the debut of her act in 1905. She posed as a Javanese princess of priestly Hindu birth, pretending to have been immersed in the art of sacred Indian dance since childhood. Her style and free-willed attitude made her a popular woman, as did her eagerness to perform in exotic and revealing clothing. She posed for provocative photos and mingled in wealthy circles. In 1915, she performed the last show of her career. By this time, however, she had become a successful courtesan, known more for her sensuality and eroticism than for her beauty. She had relationships with high-ranking military officers, politicians, and others in influential positions in many countries. In 1917, transmitted radio messages to Berlin describing the helpful activities of a German spy code-named H-21, whose biography closely matched Mata Hari's. Suspected of being a double agent she was executed by a firing squad of French Soldiers on October 15, 1917. She was not bound, refused a blindfold, and blew a kiss to the firing squad. She was 41 years old. No photographer credited, undated

Picture No

12697365

Media ID

47702293

Size

2586px x 5400px (1.4MB)

Credit

NYPL/Science Source/Mary Evans