One definition of a femme fatale reads, “an irresistibly attractive woman, especially one who leads men into difficult, dangerous or disastrous situations; a siren”. This characterization describes Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan Mata Hari perfectly. The ultimate femme fatale, Mata Hari’s escapades finally led her in front of a French firing squad for crimes she most probably did not commit.

Born Margarete Gerturd Zelle on August 7, 1876 in Leeuwarden, Friesland, in Holland, Mata Hari, her stage name, lived an early life with lavish pleasures and went to top-tier schools. Her father, Adam, a hat maker, and her mother, Antje van der Meulen, were natives of Friesland. Adam had amassed money from successful oil investments. The Zelle’s world came crashing down in 1889. Margarete’s father went bankrupt, which led to her parent’s divorce. Antje died in 1891 leaving the family in total disarray.

Margarete was sent to live with her godfather in Sneek. Here, she studied to be a kindergarten teacher, but was forced to leave after the headmaster took a special interest in her. By some accounts she had sex with the headmaster, giving rise to the theory that this was her first dealings with being a courtesan. After this, her offended godfather made her quit the school. Margarete left after a few months and took up residence at an uncle’s home in The Hague.

At 18, Margarete answered an ad by a Dutch military officer, Rudolph Macleod, looking for a wife. Rudolph was 20 years older than Margarete and a violent alcoholic. The couple moved to Java, a Dutch East India settlement, that was also home to a military outpost. They had two children. The marriage was a total disaster. Macleod had a native wife and openly flaunted this in front of Margarete. Rudolph supposedly raped one of the servants and the servant’s family may have poisoned one of the children, causing his death. Other accounts say the child died while receiving treatments for syphilis, which he contracted from his parents.

After the death of their son, the Macleod’s moved back to Holland. Rudolph had blamed Margarete for his lack of promotions in the military. The couple soon divorced. Margarete left the remaining child in the care of family with funds she received from her divorce. She then set out for Paris to make her mark on the world.