Svarta Bjørn

Among the many people connected to the building of the Ofoten Railway, one name has become a legend: Svarta Bjørn – the Black Bear. Today, the name is most closely associated with a young woman named Anna Rebecka Hofstad, who worked as a cook during the construction of the railway. Life for the railway cooks was demanding. They prepared meals, washed clothes, carried water and firewood, and looked after the barracks – often for large groups of workers far from any town or settlement. According to the legend, Anna Rebecka was given the name Svarta Bjørn because of her dark hair, dark eyes and remarkable strength. But the true story of Svarta Bjørn is difficult to separate from the legend. Over the years, stories have been told and retold, and some details of her life remain uncertain. What is certain is what she has come to represent. Today, Svarta Bjørn is a symbol of the women who lived and worked alongside the railway workers during the construction of the Ofoten Railway – women whose contribution was essential, but whose stories were not always told. More than a century later, her legend remains an important part of the history and identity of Narvik and the Ofoten Railway.