Mata Hari walk

This year marks 150 years since Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born in Leeuwarden.

On August 7, it will be 150 years since (1876) 'Mata Hari', Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, was born in the shop house at Kelders 33. The dancer and spy was born above her parents' hat and cap shop. Join us on a journey following in the footsteps of Mata Hari in the Leeuwarden of her youth.

Almost everyone has heard of Mata Hari. This is the name of the exotic dancer who was executed by firing squad in France in 1917. This 'femme fatale' was born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in Leeuwarden in 1876. Her father, Adam Zelle, owned a hat and cap shop at Kelders 33.

In 1905, under her stage name Mata Hari (Eye of the Sun), she rose to prominence as an exotic dancer in Paris and Milan, among other places. During the First World War, Mata Hari stayed in officer circles in both Germany and France.

In 1917, she was convicted of double espionage in France and executed by firing squad. Her eventful life, the alleged double espionage, and her tragic end captured the imagination. Books, films, and TV series have been made about her life, and the famous painter Isaac Israëls created a portrait of her.