Mata Hari and Vadim Maslov: the last passion of the "eastern goddess"

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Did the little Dutchwoman Margareta Gertrude Zelle think that she was destined to become one of the most famous women and live a short but incredibly eventful life? Having lost everything and remained completely alone, she managed to overcome difficulties and become an "oriental goddess", driving men crazy and causing the public to fury. But her last passion and love was a Russian officer.

Birth of Mata Hari

Exotic oriental dancer Mata Hari was "born" in France at Monsieur Mollier's circus. The enterprising Frenchman was able to discern a great natural talent in a modest riding teacher, helped to come up with the image of an oriental dancer. Margareta herself came up with a biography and got used to the role of an Indian bayadere. Transforming herself into an oriental dancer, the woman recalled life with her husband on the island of Java, the dances of the temple priestesses and the lessons of the Malay language.

In order to attract the audience, the posters indicated that the daughter of an Indian Raja and a temple dancer, who had studied the art of oriental dance from the best bayadères from the banks of the Ganges, was performing. In fact, she did not know how to dance, and gained popularity only due to beauty, charisma and performances almost in the nude. She became the first stripper in Europe. A global revolution in the dancer's life happened during the First World War. On a whim of fate, she met with the Russian military, who became her last true love.

This last Russian

Captain Vadim Pavlovich Maslov was a company commander of a rifle regiment of the Russian Expeditionary Force sent to France. A native of the Kherson province was only 23 years old, forty-year-old Mata Hari, he was good for sons. But when did this embarrass a woman in love? Maslov came from a military family, spoke French perfectly and had already sniffed gunpowder during the hostilities in his native land. He distinguished himself during the battles of 1916 on the side of France and was assigned to the award: he received the rank of staff captain and the Order of St. Anne of the third degree. For his faithful service on the battlefield, he received a leave of absence and decided to spend his free time in Paris. The fatal meeting took place in the most romantic city in the "Grand Hotel". An affair began and the woman realized that she was madly in love with a young Russian. He returned to the front, and she wrote him letters filled with love and passion. I addressed him as "my Dee" and signed with the name Marina.

Vadim Maslov answered the dancer's letters, despite the big age difference, he was impressed by the attention of such a beautiful and famous lady. At that time, the dancer was already recruited by German intelligence. The woman was in dire need of money, and the fact that she was a member of high French society, and the constant flow of lovers, including career soldiers, made her an ideal candidate for the role of a spy. However, a stormy romance with Maslov, who fought on the side of France, attracted the attention of French intelligence to the dancer. All her correspondence with the military was intercepted and carefully read, and Mata Hari was always distinguished by frivolity and burned with a passion for her lover. The French realized that some benefit could be derived from the love affair of an incredibly popular dancer and a career soldier.

While Maslov was on the battlefield, Mata Hari received an offer to work for the French special services. At first, the woman who had already sent reports to the Germans refused to spy for France. However, a loved one had sudden financial problems. He complained in letters about irregular salaries and asked the woman for money. It so happened that Mata Hari herself, accustomed to luxury and prosperity, found herself in financial difficulty. Here she decided to accept the offer of the French special services and become a double spy. Fate, having taken pity on the woman in love, presented two unforgettable weeks in the resort town of Vittel. There Maslov healed his wounds in a sanatorium and gained strength. Photos of the happy couple from Vittel will later be found in Mata Hari's room.

The dizzying romance ended abruptly. Vadim Maslov disappeared somewhere, leaving no passion even for a couple of lines. Mata Hari was very worried about the disappearance of her beloved, and then she just hit all the hard. She drank a lot, changed lovers every day. In February 1917, she was arrested and interrogated for several months. The investigation could not prove the guilt of the Dutch citizen, and had no right to execute her. However, in October she was sentenced to death. She met death with dignity, the soldiers did not dare to shoot a beautiful woman and fired bullets to the side. And only one person hit her right in the heart.

The fate of Vadim Maslov

Vadim Maslov, sent away by the command from the hospital at the end of 1916, learned about the death of Mata Hari from the newspapers. It is not known whether he loved her as much, but after her death, the military man became reckless - as if he was looking for his death. His further life was not easy. He fought, was seriously wounded. For an attempt to raise a riot in the company, he was demoted in rank. During the 1917 revolution, he sided with the Provisional Government, then immigrated to France. What happened to him next? According to one version, he married and settled in Paris, according to another, he took monastic vows and became a monk.

Bonus

It remains to be noted that Mata Hari is called the most famous spy of all time, which, moreover, successfully combined the hypostases of a courtesan and a dancer.