Mata hari spy biography

At the age of 29, Margaretha Zelle, a Frisian girl, became a media sensation in Paris. As Mata Hari, she captivated audiences with her exotic dances, slowly revealing her body. Newspapers couldn't stop writing about this phenomenon. For a decade, her name was synonymous with sensuality and glamour. However, her numerous affairs with men in uniform and her travels through Europe during World War I raised suspicions. In early 1917, she was arrested on suspicion of espionage for the Germans. Mata Hari was executed on October 15 of that year by a French firing squad in the woods near Paris.

Scroll through the page to read the whole story of Mata Hari.

The Myth and the Girl

In 2017, a century after her death, the Fries Museum hosted the largest Mata Hari exhibition ever: "Mata Hari, the Myth and the Girl." The museum holds an extensive collection of Mata Hari memorabilia. This page offers a glimpse into the woman behind the myth and allows you to explore her scrapbooks, which provide unique insights into her life.
In the permanent exhibition of the Fries Museum, 'Story of Friesland,' Mata Hari is also featured. Visitors can see a beautifully decorated dance costume attributed to her. Don't miss the chance to visit her birthplace in Leeuwarden, recently restored to its original state as a hat and cap shop owned by her father, Adam Zelle.

Story of Friesland

Visit Her Birthplace

Mata Hari Tour

Scrapbooks

Margaretha's scrapbooks offer a unique window into her life. They are a personal report of her time in the spotlight, filled with photos, gig flyers, reviews, and telegrams. They also include scribbles and letters from famous lovers and admirers, such as Baron Henri de Rothschild, composers Massenet and Puccini, and chocolate manufacturer Gaston Menier. Mata Hari's strong handwriting can be seen in short notes throughout the books.
Sam Waagenaar, an employee of Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), acquired the books from Mata Hari's personal assistant. He took them to Hollywood, where they were safely stored in the vaults of the Bank of America during World War II. Waagenaar later donated his unique collection to the Fries Museum. The first scrapbook contains items from 1905 to 1915, while the second, only partly used, includes material from 1915 to 1917.

Scroll through the books below. Click on the arrows at the bottom right to enlarge the screen.

Youth

Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born on August 7, 1876, in Leeuwarden, the eldest child of Antje and Adam Zelle. She grew up in luxury on one of the most affluent streets in Leeuwarden with her parents and three brothers. Her father owned a thriving hat and cap business, and the family lived comfortably. However, their prosperity did not last. When her father could no longer afford his expensive lifestyle, he went bankrupt and moved to his brother's place in The Hague. Twelve-year-old Margaretha stayed behind with her brothers and mother in a cramped upstairs apartment in Leeuwarden, ultimately leading to her parents' legal separation.

As a young girl, Margaretha was already outgoing and confident. She played the piano, took dance lessons, and learned French at her elite school. However, obedience and good behavior were not her strong points, as evidenced by her school reports. Margaretha did not complete her schooling; her grades declined, and after her mother died of tuberculosis at 49, she left school at 14. She then lived with her uncle and aunt in Sneek, who sent her to a teacher training college for kindergarten teachers in Leiden. This educational pursuit was short-lived, as she was suspended after just one year, rumored to have been caught in a romantic situation with the school principal.

Young Adult

At 18, Margaretha responded to a contact ad from an 'officer on leave from the Dutch East Indies' seeking a wife. Living with an aunt in The Hague and eager for adventure, she decided to respond. On a drizzly Sunday in March, she met Rudolph MacLeod, known as 'John,' in Amsterdam at the Rijksmuseum. He was a 38-year-old, hardened professional soldier of aristocratic descent, temporarily on sick leave from the Royal Dutch East Indies Army. The couple wasted no time and were engaged six days later. They married on July 11, 1895, in Amsterdam.

Marriage

On May 1, 1897, they left for the Dutch East Indies. John was a prominent officer, and they lived in a large house with servants. At 20, Margaretha became the mother of a son, Norman John, and later had a daughter, Louise Jeanne, nicknamed 'Nonnie.'
Unfortunately, the marriage was far from a fairy tale. John was a hot-tempered man accustomed to giving orders. He was an alcoholic, unfaithful, and constantly in debt. Margaretha, on the other hand, had a fiery temper and enjoyed flirting, much to her husband's fury.

Margaretha thrived in the socialite life among high-ranking military officers. As a charming officer's wife, she accompanied John to dinners, parties, and dances. She was more comfortable in these settings than at home as a mother. Eloquent, lively, and theatrical, Margaretha had her own ambitions and shone in the leading role of an amateur musical that received good reviews.
When John retired as a major, the family moved to an isolated village. Margaretha was deeply unhappy, and the marriage was on the verge of collapse. John was bitter and ambitious, publicly belittling Margaretha and accusing her of being stupid and superficial.

Early Death

In the early summer of 1899, the children suddenly fell seriously ill. The army doctor arrived too late. Little Norman, just two years old, died under suspicious circumstances. Nonnie, only one year old, barely survived. John and Margaretha were inconsolable.

It was rumored that the children were poisoned by the nanny. More likely, Norman died from treatment for syphilis, a venereal disease John had passed on to Margaretha, who then infected her children at birth. The family was treated with toxic mercury, a common practice at the time, which probably killed their son.

Divorce

One and a half years after the move, they had had enough. On March 19, 1902, the MacLeods returned to the Netherlands. On August 30, 1902, shortly after their return, John and Margaretha divorced. Margaretha was given custody of Nonnie, but John refused to pay alimony. It was nearly impossible for Margaretha to support herself as a divorced woman. She could not return to John, as he was "crazy" and abusive. Forced to give up her four-year-old daughter to John, Margaretha ended up on the street, penniless, at the age of 26. Her lawyer and the judge could not help her, as it was impossible to seize the pension of someone who had served in the Dutch East Indies.

‘I can only tell you that out of passion and madness he almost killed me with the bread knife on a Sunday afternoon and that I owe my life to a chair that fell over and gave me time to find the door and get help.’
Margaretha, November 1902

Margaretha once again begged John's cousin Edward to help regain custody of her daughter. If that didn’t work, she warned she would no longer try to "stay decent." This was her last attempt. If John didn’t live up to his duties, he shouldn’t be surprised if his name was disgraced by her taking up modeling.

"I’m tired of fighting against life and I want one of two things: either Nonnie with me and to be a decent mother or I’m going to live as I’m so wonderfully offered here."

Paris

In 1903, Margaretha left for Paris for the first time. She hoped to earn a living honorably to regain custody of Nonnie. She sought work as a companion and model and gave lessons in piano and 'German conversation.' It was a poor life, and Margaretha returned to the Netherlands defeated. Desperate and penniless, she was forced into prostitution. Her family disowned her, and in June 1904, she left for Paris for good.

Birth of Mata Hari

From the ashes of Margaretha rose the phoenix of Mata Hari. In Paris, she decided to capitalize on her attractive appearance by creating erotic Indian temple dances, which she performed passionately. It was exotic, mysterious, and sensual—exactly what the public wanted.

On March 13, 1905, she had her breakthrough. Under the stage name Mata Hari—Malay for 'eye of the day'—she performed at the Musée Guimet. The entire Parisian elite was present, and she was an instant sensation. The newspapers were ecstatic, describing Margaretha's dances as thrilling, daring, completely new, and very artistic.
Margaretha was an enchanting woman—remarkably tall, incredibly stylish, eloquent, and very charming. Soon, Mata Hari embarked on a triumphant tour of famous theaters across Europe. It was the start of a brilliant career. In no time, there was hardly a theater in Europe where Mata Hari had not performed. She graced the stages of world-renowned theaters such as the Scala in Milan, the Olympia in Paris, and the Opera of Monte Carlo.
A costume became Margaretha's trademark. She always wore a richly decorated headdress and a variety of exotic jewelry. She combined a sparkling brassiere with translucent veils that she wound around her body.

Heyday

During her heyday, Margaretha earned 10,000 francs (about 37,000 euros today) for a show. She was so popular that her name was used for cigarettes, liqueurs, and other products. Around 1910, she was a short-lived millionaire but spent the money as quickly as it came in.

Margaretha was the epitome of grace and elegance. Everywhere she went, eyes were on her. She became a popular social figure and regularly appeared in magazines, including Vogue.

Admired and Coveted

Wherever Margaretha went, she always had lovers. She liked to flirt, and suitors lined up for her. She preferred high-ranking officers and noblemen. Despite her lucrative dancing career, they financed her extravagant lifestyle from 1905 to 1914.
One such lover was the French banker Rousseau, who rented a castle for Margaretha—and later a villa—complete with a carriage, riding horses, and staff. Another lover gave her 10,000 Reichsmark (just under 40,000 euros) as a parting gift.

Spy in the War

On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France, marking the beginning of World War I. Everything changed. The lights went out, and performing was no longer possible. Margaretha depended on her lovers for income.
Because the Netherlands was neutral, Margaretha could travel freely through Europe. She was in Berlin when the war broke out and was declared a citizen of the French enemy by the Germans. Her assets were frozen, and her belongings, including her precious fur coats, were confiscated. She left Germany to try her luck elsewhere.

However, everywhere she went, she attracted male attention, including that of unwelcome parties. In no time, she had the German, British, and French intelligence services keeping an eye on her.

Margaretha wanted to return to Paris to revive her dancing career, but to no avail. So, she decided to go to The Hague again. Unbeknownst to her, intelligence agencies were shadowing her every move—the British, the French, the Germans, they were all watching her.

One evening in May 1916, Margaretha received a visit from the German consul Cremer in The Hague. Knowing she was going to Paris, he wanted to recruit her as a spy. As a traveling artist, she was ideal for this role. Cremer asked if she would collect intelligence 'of all kinds' as 'agent H21.' He offered her 20,000 francs (about 50,000 euros). Although Margaretha thought the amount was insufficient, she accepted it, allegedly planning never to do anything for the money. However, she needed the funds and saw it as compensation for the fur coats the Germans had taken from her in 1914.

Once back in Paris, Margaretha resumed her glamorous life. Her many lovers were not the only ones who loved to see her; the French intelligence service also had her in their sights and had been shadowing her since her arrival.

In the Lion's Den

In Paris, Margaretha conceived a plan to visit Vittel, a luxurious spa near the front line. She had fallen in love with a young Russian captain and could meet him there under the guise of ailing health. Since Vittel was in the military zone, Margaretha needed a special travel permit. A lover referred her to the Immigration Office on Boulevard Saint-Germain, which also housed the headquarters of the French intelligence service.

She ended up in the office of Captain Ladoux, the head of the French intelligence service. Warned about Margaretha by the British, Ladoux had been shadowing her for a month. He won her trust and approved her travel document, convinced she was spying for the Germans. This was his chance to catch her in the act.

When Margaretha returned from Vittel, Ladoux set his trap. He made her believe he wanted to recruit her as a French spy for the Belgium area. Margaretha saw an opportunity and asked for one million francs (about 3 million euros). She desperately needed money and wanted to marry the Russian captain. Ladoux claimed she would receive further instructions in the Netherlands and that payment would follow upon completion of the mission. Margaretha confidently set to work.

Trapped

When Margaretha couldn't complete her original mission for France, she decided to improvise. In Madrid, she seduced Major Kalle, a feared German officer. She identified herself as a German spy and passed him some "harmless" information.
At the same time, she approached the French colonel Denvignes, informing him that she was a French spy. She shared the information she had obtained from Kalle and asked him to pass it on to the French intelligence service. She also sent a few letters to Ladoux herself.

Meanwhile, Kalle sent a series of telegrams to the German intelligence service, reporting what 'agent H21' had told him and seeking advice on her payment. The telegrams were intercepted and decrypted by the French, who concluded that Agent H21 must be Margaretha. Unknowingly, Margaretha had been caught.

As a French spy, Margaretha didn't take secrecy very seriously. From Madrid, she wrote an uncoded letter to Ladoux by regular mail, revealing that she had tricked Kalle into believing a German submarine would land enemy officers in Morocco, which was French territory at the time. This letter definitively proved that she had indeed spied for the French.

Suddenly, none of her contacts responded. The German major seemed to have lied to her in Madrid, and there was no one to verify her story. Margaretha grew suspicious, realizing she was being shadowed. She wanted to go to the Netherlands as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Ladoux was preparing the arrest request. Three days later, on Tuesday morning, February 13, 1917, she was arrested on suspicion of espionage for the German enemy.

Arrest

It was May 21, 1917. Margaretha Zelle had been held in a Paris prison for three months. Once an international star, she was now locked up as an ordinary prostitute, much to her indignation. Although she thought she was doing a good job as a spy for the French, she was accused of German espionage.

After ten interrogations, she was mentally broken and decided to open up. Yes, she took money from the Germans. Yes, she was codenamed H21. But she certainly never spied for Germany. Didn't her work prove her loyalty to France?
However, Captain Bouchardon, the tenacious chief investigator of the Council Martial, was convinced of her guilt. In the context of World War I, the precise truth was not very important. The troops were in bad shape, and France needed a public success. Before the trial began, Margaretha had already lost.

On July 24, 1917, Margaretha was officially charged with pro-German espionage activities. On behalf of the French state, Captain Bouchardon summoned her to appear in court. The French state accused Margaretha of maintaining covert contact with the Germans, gathering intelligence, and passing information to the enemy. Her suspicious travels and dubious contacts with high-ranking Germans were heavily blamed on her.
Bouchardon could not prove that she had provided the Germans with incriminating information, but it didn't matter to him. Under military law, simply maintaining contact with the enemy was tantamount to guilt.
The French Court Martial passed the death sentence. The seven judges ruled swiftly and mercilessly. Despite the meager evidence, they found her guilty on all counts. Her accusers smugly spoke of "arguably the greatest female spy of our century."

Execution

It was a cold autumn morning on October 15, 1917. Paris was still fast asleep when Margaretha was taken from death row to the Vincennes firing range. At the execution site, the firing squad was already set to shoot her. Margaretha decided to face her execution with her head held high. She refused to have her hands tied and declined the traditional blindfold. Some eyewitnesses even claimed that she blew a kiss to her accusers one last time before the platoon opened fire. It was a routine operation, and just after sunrise, Margaretha was dead. She was 41 years old.

The European newspapers cheered. They hailed the "unmasking" of this conscienceless spy and her execution as a great success. Meanwhile, the French state auctioned Margaretha's possessions to pay off the trial costs. Her body was donated to a teaching hospital, where she was heartlessly cut up as practice material.

The End of a Family

The execution of 'Mata Hari' was also big news in the Netherlands. Margaretha's daughter Nonnie experienced it through the newspapers. The shame was immense. Nonnie was about to leave for the Dutch East Indies as a teacher when she suddenly died on August 10, 1919, at the age of 21, from a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. The cause may have been the syphilis she acquired from her father at birth.

Two weeks before Margaretha's execution, her ex-husband John married his third wife. In 1921, they had a daughter whom John named after the deceased Nonnie. He died in 1928.

The Legend Lives On

With Margaretha's death, a legend was born. The first film about her life was released within two years. Many more followed, from Greta Garbo's "Mata Hari" (1931) to Jeanne Moreau's "Mata Hari, Agent H21" (1964). The combination of a cold-blooded spy, evil maneater, and bewitching femme fatale had an irresistible Hollywood appeal.

Mata Hari inspired television series, musicals, pop songs, ballads, historical novels, and scholarly studies. Mata Hari perfumes, liqueurs, and cigarettes appeared on the market. Margaretha's fabulous life left many biographers speculating wildly. A diverse group of writers produced hundreds of books, often loosely based on the truth.

Her fame lives on in everything. Despite her death, Margaretha Geertruida Zelle proved to be immortal.