Born: 1894 (Istanbul, Turkey)
Biography:
Despina Storch, also known as Despina Davidovitch Storch, was born in Istanbul in 1894 or 1895 to a prestigious Phanariote Greek family. At a young age, she married a Frenchman named Paul Storch, but their marriage ended in divorce. This created a complex situation as Paul served in the French army while Despina was suspected of being a spy for France’s enemies.
Despina was a woman of mystery, frequently changing her name and traveling to various capitals around the world. In Paris, she was known as Madame Nezie; in Madrid and London as Madame Hesketh; in Rome as Madame Davidovitch; in New York as Madame Despina; and in Washington as the Baroness de Bellville. Her last name, Baroness de Bellville, was used because she was often accompanied by the enigmatic Baron Henri de Beville.
Known for her exceptional beauty, fluency in French, and dancing skills, Despina frequently attended parties where she had no trouble mingling with military officers serving for the Allied forces and ambassadors from countries engaged in the war. During her time in Madrid, she and the Baron were observed making contact with German agents. Upon becoming aware of the suspicions surrounding them, they hastily left Spain and made their way to Havana.
Despina and the Baron eventually arrived in the United States, accompanied by a German woman named Mrs. Elizabeth Charlotte Nix and a man who claimed to be a French count named Robert de Clarmont. However, their arrival immediately raised suspicions within the Department of Justice. Despina’s extravagant lifestyle, including her monthly payment of $1,000 at a New York hotel, and Mrs. Nix receiving an unexplained $3,000 loan from Count Bernstorff, were key factors that aroused the authorities’ attention.
The Department of Justice later seized a safe deposit box in a New York bank held under the name Madame Storch. It was believed to contain coded correspondence with notable figures from around the world. Despite initially being unaware of the scrutiny they were under, Despina continued to lead a glamorous and social life, gaining numerous influential admirers along the way.
However, it wasn’t long before Despina’s alleged spy activities caught up with her. On March 30, 1918, she was arrested in New York, turning her life of intrigue and glamour into one of controversy and suspicion. Despina Storch, the Turkish Delight, Turkish beauty, and a modern Cleopatra in spy literature, had become a subject of intrigue and fascination.