The diary of Irma Vīksniņa, an author and cultural worker in exile (1922–1976), was penned during 1941 and 1942, a period when she was still a secondary school student. This poignant and emotionally charged narrative captures the experiences of a young girl during the 'Horrible Year,' spanning from the summer of 1940 to the summer of 1941, encompassing both the Soviet occupation of Latvia and the onset of German rule.

The inclusion of Irma Vīksniņa's diary in the Archive of Latvian Folklore (ALF) is owed to Ilze Dambekalna, who submitted it in 2015, back when the ALF Autobiography Collection hadn't been established yet. During the Soviet era, Ilze Dambekalna's grandfather, an employee of a security institution, safeguarded the diary in his home. According to family accounts, he concealed the diary to protect another individual from potential trouble. The true identity of the diary's author remained a mystery until September 2018 when it was catalogued in the ALF Autobiography Collection as "Diary of an Unknown Girl."

By thoroughly examining the diary and piecing together various details, it became evident that the likely author was the exile writer Irma Vīksniņa. Through communication with her son, Ansis V. Vīksniņš, residing in the United States, it was conclusively established that Irma Vīksniņa was indeed the author. The contents of the journal, the individuals and events it portrayed, as well as the handwriting and writing style, all served as compelling evidence of her authorship.

More about solving the puzzle of the diary can be found in the piece prepared by Māra Rozenberga for Latvijas Radio 1 un lsm.lv (30.12.2018)