9 3 , ▁in ▁Kh ark ov ▁in ▁the ▁Kh ark ov ▁Governor ate ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁( present - day ▁Ukraine ), ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁sons ▁of ▁an ▁eth nic ▁Lat v ian ▁no blem an , ▁a ▁teacher , ▁and ▁German ▁mother . In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁he ▁earned ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁history ▁and ▁phil ology ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁juris pr ud ence ▁from ▁Kh ark ov ▁University , ▁where ▁he ▁also ▁taught ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁revolution ary ▁movement ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁R SD R P ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁or ▁V K P ( b ) ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁Soviet ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁after ▁the ▁Russian ▁Revolution , ▁Me zh la uk ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Kh ark ov ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁V K P ( b ) ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁city ’ s ▁sovi et ▁and ▁military ▁revolution ary ▁committee . ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁during ▁the ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁provincial ▁military ▁comm iss ar ▁in ▁Kaz an ; ▁people ’ s ▁comm iss ar ▁of ▁fin ance ▁of ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁Don et sk – K riv oy ▁Rog ▁Soviet ▁Republic ▁in ▁Ukraine ; ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the