Femme fatale? German spy? French spy? Mata Hari's origin story and her espionage during World War I are clouded by the legends surrounding her. With more recently declassified documents, historians have a better understanding of her role spying for the Germans. An intriguing video investigates how a clever woman used her skills as an exotic dancer to gather information. 

Concepts

world war i, famous women, women's history, gender roles, biographies

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the video to stimulate discussion of gender roles during World War I
• Offer the biography to budding historians as research on women in World War I

Classroom Considerations

• Video images include nude and semi-nude pictures and may not be suitable for all classrooms
• Part of Who Did What in World War I? series

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Engrossing narration situates Mata Hari's story into a larger social context
• Engaging pictures invite learner interest in the biography

Cons

• The biography does not evaluate Hari's effects on the war 

Common Core

L.9-10.2.a L.11-12.2.a