Profile Text
Birth Name: Margaretha Geertruida Zelle
Date of Birth: 7 August, 1876
Place of Birth: Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Date of Death: 15 October, 1917
Place of Death: Vincennes, France
Ethnicity: Dutch Frisian, as well as 1/32 Belgian Flemish
Mata Hari was a Dutch woman convicted and executed by the French, for being a spy for Germany, during WWI. She worked as an exotic dancer and courtesan. Her stage name Mata Hari meant “sun” or “eye of the day” in Indonesian. She is associated with the “femme fatale” persona.
Mata was the daughter of Antje van der Meulen and Adam Cornelus Zelle, who owned a hat factory and shop. Her parents were from Franeker, Franekeradeel, Friesland. She was partly raised by her godfather in Sneek. Mata had two children with her former husband, Dutch colonial army captain Rudolf John MacLeod.
Mata was sometimes said to have Indonesian (Malay or Javanese) and/or Jewish ancestry. This is not accurate.
Mata’s paternal grandfather was Cornelius Zelle (the son of Adam Zelle and Minke Cornelis Elzinga). Cornelius was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland. Adam was born in Leeuwarden, the son of Herman Otto Zelle and Huberdina Zervaas. Minke was born in Leeuwarden, the daughter of Cornelis Hendriks Elzinga and Grietje van Slooten.
Mata’s paternal grandmother was Margaretha Hamstra (the daughter of Coenrad Hamstra and Truyke Berkenbijl). Coenrad was the son of Albert Jennes Hamstra and Grietje Pieters Wynbergen. Truyke was the daughter of Harmanus Berkebijl and Feyke van der Veen.
Mata’s maternal grandfather was Johannes Henderikus van der Meulen (the son of Bouwe Ijdes/Ydes van der Meulen and Antje Paulus Haitsma). Johannes was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland. Bouwe was born in Leeuwarden, the son of Yde Bouwes van der Meulen and Jisseltje Sjoerds. Antje was born in Franeker, Franekeradeel, Friesland, the daughter of Paulus Johannes Haitsma and Janneke Pieters van der Meulen.
Mata’s maternal grandmother was Sjoukje Ymes Faber (the daughter of Yme Sipkes Faber and Sjoukje Paulus de Romar). Sjoukje was born in Franeker, Franekeradeel, Friesland. Yme was born in Franeker, the son of Sipke Jans Faber and Martha Ymes Ymesen. Sjoukje was born in Franeker, the daughter of Paul Hyacinthe de Romar, whose father was from Ghent, Flanders, Belgium; and of Sjoukje Ottes Salverda.
Source: Genealogy of Mata Hari – https://www.geni.com