Two prominent female agents in 20th-century espionage history. One in the spotlight of world history, the other almost unknown in the shadowy realm of espionage.
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Mademoiselle Docteur – eine Geheimdienstkarriere. Die graue Eminenz hinter »Agent H21«
Mata Hari, alias “Agent H21,” and “Mademoiselle Docteur,” alias Elsbeth Schragmüller. What connects them: they knew each other, but what is virtually unknown is that “Mademoiselle Docteur” trained Mata Hari.
Both women began their intelligence careers during World War I. While one became a famous agent and double agent, the other became the first female senior officer in the German Army’s military intelligence service. Both agents voluntarily entered the realm of espionage, counterespionage, and intelligence gathering.
Was one truly a dazzling and brilliant agent and the other a coolly calculating analyst?
Reason enough to retell an unknown versus famous espionage story with two female historians. And fitting for the event: 2026 marks the 150th anniversary of Mata Hari.
What is the situation today regarding women in the intelligence world? Often, their role is limited to the “honey trap.” But things have changed significantly. They have become key players in espionage and counterespionage and hold leadership positions in Germany’s domestic intelligence services.
PARTICIPANTS
- Dr. Claudia Mocek, historian, author
- Karin Feuerstein-Praßer, historian, author
MODERATOR
Bernd Palenda, former member of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
IN GERMAN
Additional information
Dates
May 2026
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