Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Courtesan, exotic dancer and convicted secret (double) agent Margaretha Zelle was born on this day in 1876. Known better by her stage name, Mata Hari, and less by her supposed codename, H-21. Though historians seem unsure of her true allegiances during the first world war, she was executed on the grounds that she had been aiding Germany.



The tale of a sexy, exotic female spy proved irresistible to filmmakers, novelists and others. Here is a movie poster for one version of Mata Hari's story.