Marguerite
Schmidt (1894-1915) -
An impression sketch by Jamie, taken from an original image that can be seen
at: http://www.danskkulturarv.dk/indhold/portr%C3%A6t-af-marguerite-schmidt-1894-1915/
Mug shot of
Ottilie Voss, german spy - An impression sketch by
Jamie, taken from an original image that can be seen at: http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/mug-shot-of-ottilie-voss-german-spy-shot-in-bourges-on-may-news-photo/89869274
In North Eastern
France,
From the French
region of Toul -
And commune of
Thiaucourt -
Close to the
fighting borders
Came a French
lady, whose
Age reported as
both 25 and 31.
The lady,
Marguerite Schmitt,
A French National,
had travelled
About quite
freely, until her arrest
At the city station
of Nancy,
On 17 February
1915 - the reason
Being suspicions
of spying activity.
47 kilometers
from her home,
Marguerite
Schmitt had come
From Anoux, near
Briey, France -
A commune under
German forces;
Her route had
taken her via
Neutral
Switzerland over to Nancy.
Under lengthy
questioning,
Marguerite
Schmitt admitted
Her first contact
with Germany
Was through a
friend, explaining
How the Germans
had sent her
To collate
information - with
Her destination
as Nancy.
The mission was
to seek out troops
In the region -
This was to include
Regiments, encamped
between
Bar-le-Duc and St
Menehould -
The initial offer
of money she
Had refused - to
later accept total
200 francs, being
eight pounds.
Marguerite
Schmitt explained, how
She had been driven
to the border
Of Switzerland,
by automobile.
Her own purpose
though was not
To spy on the
French - intending
On her return to
say the French
Detained her as a
suspect.
This claim though
was countered
By her presence
in Nancy. A search
Of belongings,
revealed questions
Found in a book
in her possession.
These questions
she was to ask, had
Been prepared by
a German Officer.
Brought before a
Council of War,
Marguerite
Schmitt made reply
To all questions,
to only say
'I am sorry' - Quoting the code
Of Military
Justice, under articles
64 and 206, her
sentence was death.
The court martial
that took place
On Saturday 20
March, stated
Her taking pay,
to act out a mission
In Nancy - Marguerite Schmitt,
On Monday 22
March, was shot.
Possibly Schmitt
had not realised
The seriousness
of her actions,
Which if she had
directly reported,
Might have led to
different outcome.
It was also the
case in ten days,
After Marguerite
Schmitt's arrest,
Another took
place on the 27th -
This woman,
declaring her name
As Jeanne Bouvier,
being halted
At Bourges within
Central France.
The papers she
gave, stated this
Name - but after an interrogation
Jeanne Bouvier
declared how her
Real name was
Ottillie Voss -
An unmarried woman
aged 33
Ottillie Voss was
born of German
Parents within
Rhine Provinces.
Since 1907 she
had lived in
Agen, an area close
to Bordeaux.
In teaching the
German language
Until war's
outbreak - it was then
She made a return
to Germany.
Being unemployed
she sought
Work as a spy for
the army.
Under orders she
was to travel
To Marseilles,
Lyons, Montpellier
And Nice - Ottillie
Voss was told
To investigate formations
of new
Troop, transportations
of military
Railways and accurately
record
Their movements
and directions.
Secondary orders
were conditions
Of the armies and
wounded soldier
Numbers - thirdly debarkations
Troop - primarily
those of black
Soldiers, at
various ports of France.
Lastly, to advise
on state of mind
Of people, regarding
effect of war.
From 3rd to 11th
February 1915,
Ottillie Voss
travelled, under the
Given orders -
having been paid
400 francs - £16
- and she then
Returned to
Germany to be given
160 francs - £8 -
for good work.
Then undertaking
a new mission,
With similar
orders, Ottillie Voss
Returned to
France on Saturday
20February given
500 francs -
£20 - to pay for all
her expenses.
When, on 1 March,
Ottillie Voss
Made confession,
was to appear
On trial, before
a Council of War.
Similarly to
Marguerite Schmitt
Ottillie Voss
faced with the Code
Of Military
Justice - under articles
197, 206, 269 - on
charges to carry
Out spying, was a
death sentence -
To be given on a
date yet to come.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Woman
Spy Shot. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 Mar. P.10. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11495177/Daily-Telegraph-March-26-1915.html
[Accessed: 26 March 2015].
Anon.,1915. German Women Spies. Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8329, 23
December 1915, Page 7. Available
at: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AG19151223.2.27 [Accessed: 26 March 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 26 March 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1France
