ONLINE: Régina Diana: Seductress, Singer, Spy by Viv Newman
09 Jan

The presentation will be live and online. 

Régina Diana was the nom-de-guerre of Marie Antoinette Avvico, the rebellious daughter of working-class French-Italian parents from a run-down part of Geneva. In December 1914, she appeared in the bustling port of Marseille to launch a triple career as a high profile French café-concert singer, a discreet and much in-demand prostitute, and a devastatingly successful German spy.

As part of a spy network spanning four countries, Régina Diana used her performing abilities and physical charms to entice soldiers at all levels - from privates to generals - into revealing their armies' secrets. Yet discovering the truth about Régina Diana herself involved a difficult and tantalising journey: getting past her disavowal by both France and Switzerland, overcoming the obfuscation of French military archivists, and digging into a three-line report about the death of a pretty Swiss chanteuse.

Even her execution was fittingly exceptional. To ensure she died as intended, the French high command doubled the size of her firing squad from the usual twelve rifles to twenty-five, and then consigned her to an unmarked grave.

Members wishing to participate will need to register: details of how to register will be circulated via the WFA's newsletter 'Trench Lines'. If you are not a subscriber to 'Trench Lines' please subscribe now.

To subscribe to Trench Lines, go to the home page of the WFA web site and complete your details in the 'Newsletter signup' box. 

It is also possible to register by clicking this link: Régina Diana: Seductress, Singer, Spy

The talk will be undertaken using the 'Zoom' software which is freely available. It may not be necessary to load the software to your PC / iPad etc: but we would recommend doing so if you wish to participate in this event.

Your Computer, Your Home
ONLINE: Régina Diana: Seductress, Singer, Spy by Viv Newman, membership@westernfrontassociation.com
09 Jan 2023 20:00