Toto Koopman: Socialite, Vogue Model and WWII Spy

Toto Koopman: Socialite, Vogue Model and WWII Spy

Toto Koopman was remarkable; she was a high society socialite who risked her life wining and dining with Italian blackshirts in order to gather information for the Dutch intelligence service in WWII. When she refused to work as a spy for the Italians, she was thrown in a detention camp. She escaped and hid in the mountains. When she was captured again she was taken to Ravensbrück concentration camp. There, got a role at the hospital by pretending she was a nurse; she risked her own life forging documents to save the lives of women destined for the gas chamber. She was truly unapologetic about who she was, individualistic and brave. Before the war, she'd defied society's expectations as a Vogue cover model working with Coco Chanel by having high-profile relationships with both men and women - including Hollywood star Talulah Bankhead and newspaper baron Lord Beaverbrook. So why have most of us never heard of her?


In this episode, author and historical novelist Maryka Biaggio gives a roaring account of the incredible life, achievements and character of Toto Koopman, a story we should all know.


Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsely, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.


Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.


If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(1489)

Who are the Houthis?

Who are the Houthis?

As Houthi missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continue, we turn to the past to answer the all-important questions - who are the Houthis, and what do they want?Dan is joined by Baraa Shiban, a Y...

7 Feb 202448min

The City of Alexandria

The City of Alexandria

This is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to many of humanity's greatest architectural and cult...

5 Feb 202431min

WWII: The Allied Invasion of Italy

WWII: The Allied Invasion of Italy

By the summer of 1943, there were Allied boots on Axis soil. Sicily had been taken, and fascism's grip on Italy was beginning to loosen. But Allied command was faced with a tough decision - what to do...

4 Feb 202431min

Prohibition

Prohibition

On 17 January 1920, the 18th Amendment came into effect in the United States. It made the manufacture, sale and transportation of 'intoxicating liquor' illegal.Sarah Churchwell is BACK to explore the ...

1 Feb 202442min

The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

People have always looked to the wonders of the ancient world for awe and inspiration. In the Ancient era, people embarked on dangerous pilgrimages to visit storied sites like the Pyramids of Giza, or...

31 Jan 202431min

First Polynesians

First Polynesians

In small wooden canoes and with just the stars for navigation, how did the first Polynesians conquer the largest ocean on earth? For centuries this has perplexed scholars and anthropologists. The Poly...

30 Jan 202438min

Masters of the Air: WWII's Bloody 100th Bombers

Masters of the Air: WWII's Bloody 100th Bombers

Screenwriter John Orloff joins Dan to talk about the new WWII mini-series 'Masters of the Air'. It tells the true story of the 'Bloody Hundredth', an American bomb group stationed in England that foug...

28 Jan 202439min

The Vandals

The Vandals

Known for bringing about the fall of the Western Roman Empire - the Vandals have a reputation for violence, destruction, and conquering. Moving from Eastern Europe across Gaul, and eventually taking C...

25 Jan 202449min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
olosta-mord
historiepodden-se
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-brottsligt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-seriemordarpodden
konspirationsteorier
nu-blir-det-historia
rss-historien-om
krigshistoriepodden
podme-bio-4
militarhistoriepodden
vetenskapsradion-historia
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
palmemordet
rss-arkiv-stieg