Info on Mata Hari

Mata Hari was a Dutch, exotic dancer and courtesan. Birth name Magaretha Zelle, grew up used to rich lifestyle. Her father was a hat maker by trade, but invested in oil so he had enough money to spoil his only daughter. At six years old she became popular because she was driven in a goat-drawn carriage. In school she wore dashing dresses. But Margaretha’s world changed because in 1889 her famlily went bankrupt and her mother died two (2) years later. Her family got split up after that and she went to live with her godfather. He sent her to a school training Kindergarten teacher but a scandal broke out and she was asked to leave. She then went to live with her uncle and at 18 she became engaged to Rudolph MacLeod. They were married and had two children but in 1902 they were separated because the husband became an alcoholic and he started to abuse her. She moved to Paris and started a new life. While living in Indonesia with her husband she picked of some traits such as: Indonesian dances. This she used to create a new persona which was one that donned jewels, smelled of perfume, spoke occasionally in Malay, danced seductively for men and wore little clothing. This was when she changed her name to Mata Hari. She became famous; she danced at private salons, large theatres, in ballets and operas. She was invited to big parties and she travelled extensively. She had a large amount of lover which was often military