Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story

In August of 1943, the last surviving clandestine radio operator in Paris desperately signaled London. Everything depended on her and the Gestapo was at the door. How did a Sorbonne educated musician and author of a book of fairy tales become a daring spy who died fighting the Nazis? With an American mother and Indian Muslim father, Noor Inayat Khan was an extremely unusual British agent, and her life spent growing up in a Sufi center of learning in Paris seemed an unlikely preparation for the dangerous work to come. Yet it was in this place of universal peace and contemplation that her remarkable courage was forged. When the Nazi's invaded France, she joined Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force, and was recruited as spy, going to Paris to support the French Underground. For four crucial months, Noor was the only surviving radio operator in Paris, calling in the air-drop of weapons and supplies, and coordinating the rescue of downed allied fliers. She was ultimately betrayed by a French collaborator, and interrogated for months by the Gestapo. She never gave up any information, not even her real name, and she organized two breakouts from Gestapo headquarters. For this and the damage she did to the Nazis war efforts, she was executed in Dachau. 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of her birth.

Episode Duration: 56 minutes and 46 seconds

Episode Number:




NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast

WENH-TV Ch. 11 Durham

WLED-TV Ch. 48 Littleton

WEKW-TV Ch. 18 Keene

W50DP-D Ch. 50 Hanover

W34DQ-D Ch. 34 Pittsburg

Cable and Satellite Channels


NHPBS Five Channels

NHPBS - 11.1

NH Explore - 11.2

NH World - 11.3

NH Create - 11.4

NH Kids - 11.5

Learn More


NHPBS NHPBS Passport Passport

Grantchester | Episode 1
America ReFramed | Como Vivimos (How We Live)
Professor T | Heir to the Throne
D.I. Ray | Rivals
Local, USA | Public Enemies, Private Friends
Pompeii: The New Dig | Episode 3
My Music with Rhiannon Giddens | Episode 6
Antiques Roadshow | I Was There
Nature | Wild Ireland: Kingdom of Stone
After Action | Serving with Pride
Great Performances | Audra McDonald at the London Palladium
Poetry in America | Steps
The Ghost Army | The Ghost Army
Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story | Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story
MaryLand | Episode 3
Guilt | Episode 2
American Experience | The Riot Report
Art Happens Here with John Lithgow | Art Happens Here with John Lithgow
AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange | Freedom Hill
American Masters | The Incomparable Mr. Buckley (ASL)
Changing Planet | Coral Special
Through Our Eyes | Uprooted
Next at the Kennedy Center | Joshua Redman where are we
Julius Caesar: The Making of a Dictator | Ides of March
The Real Story of Mr Bates vs The Post Office | The Real Story of Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Mr Bates vs The Post Office | Episode 1
Independent Lens | Matter of Mind: My Parkinson's
Finding Your Roots | Viewers Like You
Gershwin Prize | Elton John and Bernie Taupin: Gershwin Prize
Alice & Jack | Episode 1