The Dutch exotic dancer and spy Mata Hari in an undated photo. It was just past 5:30 a.m. when she faced her firing squad: 12 French officers with their rifles at ease. Offered a white cloth to wear as a blindfold, Mata Hari refused, saying: “Must I wear that?”Legend has it that as the officers drew their weapons, Mata Hari, 41, blew a kiss to her executioners. Historians are now debunking many of the myths about Mata Hari that have endured for decades. It is true, for example, that in her final moments, Mata Hari denied a blindfold and stared steadfastly at her firing squad as a priest, nuns, and her lawyer backed away.

Source: Washington Post October 15, 2017 07:00 UTC