Mata Hari, A dutch-javanese Femme Fatale

"The very name of Her has become synonymous of Femme Fatale"



Born as Margaretha Geertruida Zelle on 7 August 1876 in Leeuwarden, Netherland. She had broken the myth of difference between Fame and Spionage.



She had javanese blood from her maternal side. Since her childhood she always became her father's golden daughter because of her exotic beauty from her javanese blood

Never had a happiness during her life, when she was a teenage girl she had a sexual scandal with her principal. By such experience she formed such a spy mentality in her mind.





At the age of 18 she married an Army officer named Rudolf MacLeod. They moved to Java and had 2 children the first son was born in Amsterdam and the second daughter was born in Java.



The marriage was a dissapoinment, MacLeod was a violent alcoholic and had many relotionship with native Javanese women (called Njai). The affair made Mata Hari sad, she tried to escape her circumstances by learning Indonesian culture intensively and joining the local dance company.



By learning the native Indonesian language she created her stage name , Mata Hari, indonesian word for sun that literally means "Eye Of The Day".



In 1899 Mata's son died possibly of syphillis complication. It made the circumstance became much worse. The couple moved back to Netherland and seperated in 1902 and divorced in 1906

Paris

In 1910 she began dancing naked, many people loved her dance. She pretended to be a Javanese princess. Many people questioned her origin and she always answered India. Dutch East Indies (now known as Indonesia) was not too famous during the time.



Her fame let her to become a courtesan, having affairs with many high-ranking politicians and military officers.

World War I happened

Mata's fame attracted a german agent when she performed in Berlin. Mata hari accepted the job because she felt boring during the time. She thought espionage was a game. German gave her code H-21

The Netherlands remained neutral during the war, it made Mata Hari could be able to cross national border freely. She sent many informations to the main agent in Berlin, most of them were unimportant.

Double agents

Once she was captured by a British officer, she was interviewed. The British officer offered a spy job for France and Mata Hari accepted. Now she was a double agents for German and France.

In 1917 she was captured and put on a trial. Accused of spying for german and causing the deaths of 50,000 officers, she was sentenced to death. Many people argue she was innocent and was a scapegoat for French government.



At the dawn of 15 Oct 1917 she was executed by firing squad. Rumours said she blew kisses to her executors and she exposed her naked bosy before she was executed.

Nobody claimed her body , even her ex-husband. Mata Hari was dead in exotic fame, loneliness, and elegance




Facts about Madame Mata Hari

She was a symbol of Femme Fatale (French for Dangerous woman).
She was an inspiration of James Bond Movies.
She was reported saying, "Harlot yes, Traitor never".
She could speak 5 different languages Dutch , German, English, Fench, and Indonesian.
She broke a concept of classical beauty by her exotic beauty.
She was famous and was a spy. Impossible combination.

By Wendy Shabirin Kadarsyah
XI - IPA -06
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