Memorial site of General K. Berkis
Memorialinis vieta

A monument to General Krišjānis Berķis (1884 - 1942) was erected on the site of his birthplace near an oak tree. The monument was erected by the Latvian National Soldiers' Association at its own expense on April 26, 1998. Kr. Berķis was a general of the Latvian Army, commander of the Latvian Riflemen, fought in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence. Cavalier of the Lāčplēsis War and Three Star Orders. Commander of the Latvian Armed Forces, Minister of War of Latvia.

Krišjānis Berķis was born on April 26, 1884 in Bērzukrog, Īslīce parish. In 1903, after graduating from Bauska city school, Kr. Berķis entered the Vilnius Junkers School, which he graduated after 3 years as a sub-lieutenant. He served in the 2nd Finnish Rifle Regiment in Helsinki. In 1909, Kr. Berķis received the rank of lieutenant, in 1913 – staff captain, and in January 1917 – captain. In July 1917, Kr. Berķis received the rank of lieutenant colonel and became the battalion commander of the 6th Tukums Latvian Rifle Regiment. After the October Revolution, Kr. Berķis was removed from office and imprisoned for a short time, but after his release he was still forced to hide from the Bolsheviks in both Finland and Russia, until finally returning to Latvia in the spring of 1919. On March 21, 1919, Kr. Berķis, already as a colonel - lieutenant, joined the armed forces of the Provisional Government of Latvia and became a commander of a reserve battalion (later the 2nd Cēsis Infantry Regiment), and from August - the commander of the Latgale Division. In October 1919, Kr. Berķis received the rank of colonel. In April 1920, Kr. Berķis was elected a deputy of the Constituent Assembly, but he refused the mandate. In 1925, Kr. Berķis was awarded the rank of general. Until 1934, he worked in the Administrative Department of the Army Headquarters, was the commander of the Vidzeme Division and the chief of the Riga garrison. In November 1934, Kr. Berķis was appointed commander of the army, and on April 5, 1940 - the minister of war. On June 20, 1940, Kr. Berķi was discharged from service, arrested in July, and on August 9, together with his son and daughter-in-law, was deported to Russia, where he was imprisoned in June 1941. He died on July 29, 1942, in the Perm prison hospital.