Noor Inayat Khan Story

Noor Inayat Khan Is the Muslim Woman Who Bravely Fought in WWII

Noor Inayat Khan Story

Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story  tells the life story of an inspiringly brave and spiritual Muslim woman who fought for the British in WWII.

Noor Inayat Khan lived a life full of heroic acts and remarkable spirituality. A new docudrama entitled, Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story, aired last week on PBS showcasing the eventful and fulfilling life of this wonderful woman.

Khan was born in 1914 to an Indian and American couple. The family escaped from the troubled streets of Moscow in a carriage that belonged to Tolstoy’s son. Khan was raised in Paris and heavily influenced by the Western world. She quickly became a virtuoso in the harp and veena, an ancient string instrument of India. She would go on to graduate from Sorbonne and publish a book of children’s tales.

The Bravery of Noor Inayat Khan

In May of 1940, the Germans marched on Paris. Khan and the majority of her family escaped this occupation by fleeing to England. Once in England, she volunteered to fight for the British war effort. She was recruited by the exclusive Special Operations Executive to to work as a wireless operator. It would be her effort and those of many others to help prepare England for D-Day. The wireless operators had one of the most dangerous jobs of the SOE, as their signals were easily tracked by the occupation authorities. Most of the Resistance telegraph operators had a life span of only six weeks.

Khan managed to far surpass that and would work for the SOE until 1943. In October of that year, she would be captured and arrested by the Gestapo; although, she never stopped fighting for freedom. She violently fought against her arrest and made two valiant escape attempts. She would be labeled by the Germans as “highly dangerous.” Unfortunately, her life came to an end in September of 1944 in the Dachau prison camp. Courageous to the end, her last word was “Liberté.”

The Importance of Noor Inayat Khan’s Story Today

Her story is relevant today to help expand the Muslim narrative in the hearts and minds of the American population. Unity Productions Foundation is the studio which produced Enemy of the Reich. Alex Kronemer, co-founder of UFP and executive producer, said the foundation hopes to “serve the cause of peace and understanding in part by expanding the narrative about Muslims to American audiences.”

Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story is a respectful and exciting telling of this inspiring heroine’s life. She is remembered on this seventieth anniversary of D-Day. While she may not be among the most famous, her life was filled with acts of bravery and heroism that will not be forgotten. Visit the Enemy of the Reich Premieres for a screening near you and the opportunity to learn more about this incredible piece of history.

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