Krišjānis Berķis (April 26, 1884, in Īslīce parish, Bauska municipality, Courland, modern Latvia – July 29, 1942, in Perm, Russia) was a Latvian general.

[1] After the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States, he was deported to Siberia and died in a Gulag labor camp.

Krišjānis Berķis was born on April 26, 1884, in the farmer's homestead Bērzkrogs, Īslīce parish, Courland.

During his service in Grand Duchy of Finland, he married a Finnish girl named Hilma Lehtonen (1887-1961).

In 1914, Berķis as an officer in the Finnish corps of the Russian Army was deployed to the front in East Prussia.

With his regiment, he participated in Battle of Jugla, securing to main Russian units safe withdrawal from Riga.

In autumn of 1918, Berķis learned from newspapers about the proclamation of the Latvian Republic and the forming of its first military units.

In August, Berķis was appointed commander of the 3rd Latgale Infantry Division [lv] and was promoted to Colonel in October.

In his short term as minister, he tried to promote Latvian cooperation with Estonia, Finland and even Great Britain, but it was too late.

There, he was arrested by the Soviet authorities and deported to Usollag, Molotov Oblast, Siberia, where he died in a prison hospital in 1942.