Mata Hari Page

Mata Hari (born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle) was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who became World War I’s most legendary female spy after being executed by the French for espionage in 1917. While her name is now a synonym for the "femme fatale," modern historians frequently argue she was a scapegoat used to distract from French military failures. Mata Hari (Margaretha G. Zelle) Identity Papers