Like today February 13: The arrest of Mata Harry – Femme Fatale accused of betrayal

On February 13, 1917, Margareta Zelle, known as Mata Harry, was arrested in Paris on charges of espionage. Her arrest was one of the most notorious episodes of World War I, combining mystery, betrayal and falling a woman who once magnified crowds with her exotic dances. Born on August 7, 1876 in the Netherlands, Margareta Zelle married Rudolf McLlend, a Dutch army officer, and followed him to the Dutch East Indies (today’s Indonesia). There, she was fascinated by local culture and traditional dances, experiences that would shape her artistic identity. After the collapse of her marriage, she returned to Europe and settled in Paris, where she adopted the artistic name “Mata Harry”, which in the Malican language means “eye of the day” or “sun”. Her performances, which combined sensuality and extrusion, made her a symbol of the Parisian scene. However, with the outbreak of World War I, its frequent movements and relationships […]
Source: News Beast

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