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Svarta Bjorn

1878 – 1900

Norwegian railroad cook

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About Svarta Bjorn

Lived 1878 – 1900 (aged 22). Svarta Bjorn was a Norwegian chef.

Anna Rebecka Hofstad (7 April 1878 in Offersøya, Norway – 12 October 1901 in Tornehamn, Sweden) was a Norwegian cook. She was known in history as Svarta Bjorn , , and . She was active as a canteen cook for the railway navvies (workers) during the construction of the Iron Ore Line between Kiruna and Narvik in 1899–1901. She has been treated as a local legend in the history of the area and became the object of fiction.

She has been described as tall, dark, beautiful and intelligent. Her fame may be due to being one of the few women in the area, making her an icon among the railway workers. According to legend, she died during a fight with another railway cook, who broke her ribs and gave her a fatal blow to the head. She was taken to the infirmary in Tornehamn, where she died. At the time of her death, she was also to have suffered from tuberculosis, which may also have contributed to her death. She was buried in the Tornehamn Navvy workers cemetery. The white cross on her grave does not mention her entire name, but only names her as "Anna".

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Svarta Björn, Svarta Bjørn, Anna Rebecka Hofstad, Anne Rebecke Hoofstad

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Svarta Bjorn's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Svarta Bjorn?

Norwegian railroad cook (1878–1900)

When was Svarta Bjorn born?

Svarta Bjorn was born on 7 April 1878 in Mo i Rana.

When did Svarta Bjorn die?

Svarta Bjorn died on 19 September 1900.

What was Svarta Bjorn's occupation?

Svarta Bjorn was a chef.

What nationality was Svarta Bjorn?

Svarta Bjorn was Norwegian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Svarta Bjorn

· Wikidata: Q1776709

· DBpedia: Svarta Bjorn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Svarta Bjorn. https://biography.guide/svarta-bjorn/

MLA: "Svarta Bjorn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/svarta-bjorn/.

Chicago: "Svarta Bjorn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/svarta-bjorn/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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