Historical story

Mata Hari shooting

Mata Hari

At the end of a far from fair trial, Mata Hari , pseudonym of Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, (https://www.pilloledistoria.it/10328/storia-contemporanea/mata-hari-breve-breve-biografia-della-spia-piu-sexy-tutti-tempi) was sentenced to death for shooting and the attempts to commute the sentence into detention or to make use of the pardon were useless.

The execution took place on a cold and foggy autumn morning, on October 15, 1917 , in Vincennes.

All those present, the woman's lawyer, the nuns who had taken care of her in the last period, the prison doctor and the same soldiers in charge of killing her, a platoon of Zouaves, were struck by the serenity and, in a certain sense , from the swagger shown by the “sexy spy” in such a dramatic moment; determined and proud, without any hesitation, she asked not to be tied to the pole (they satisfied her in part, it seems, leaving the rope very slow) and remained standing, head erect, waiting for her hour.

In all, the victim received four blows, of which the one to her heart was the only fatal.

anecdotes arose about the event, largely mysterious, also because it took place quickly and in great secrecy. difficult to verify; among others, it is said that Mata Hari, almost as if she were a consummate actress, welcomed her death by sending kisses to her executioners .