(1876–1917), Dutch dancer and spy. Born in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, Margaretha Zelle became one of the most famous persons in the history of espionage. She lived in the Dutch East Indies with her husband from 1895 to 1902. When she returned to Europe, she left her husband and became the exotic “Indian” dancer Mata Hari in Paris, France. She joined the German secret service in 1907 and spied for the Germans against France during World War I. She was eventually arrested by the French and executed in 1917. (See also Espionage.)