Jan Laube was born into a Latvian peasant family and received a secondary medical education, becoming a paramedic. During World War I, he rose from paramedic to commander of the Tukums Latvian Regiment. He later participated in the storming of the Winter Palace and became one of the organizers of Lenin's personal guard. In November 1918, he was sent to Penza as the commander of the battalion of the provincial Cheka. This city became not only a place of service for Laube but also where he found love, albeit in an unusual way.

Laube was passionate about theater and tried not to miss performances, hoping to meet women, as he was single. However, he had no luck finding a suitable companion in the audience or the buffet. Everything changed when he saw the young actress Anna Sudakova on stage, who captivated him with her beauty. But the actress showed no interest in getting to know the Chekist. So, Laube ordered his subordinates to arrest her, and soon Sudakova found herself in a cell. After long negotiations, she agreed to marry him.

Laube proved to be a good husband and son-in-law, arranging for his father-in-law Yakov Trofimovich to work in the police at his wife's request. However, Sudakova abused her position and imposed a tribute on the local residents, which angered Laube, and he ordered her father’s dismissal. Laube and Sudakova had children: one became an actor, and the other, a poet.

Jan Laube tragically ended his life. On November 30, 1937, the NKVD sent a cipher telegram with an order to arrest Latvians suspected of anti-Soviet activities. Laube was shot on November 1, 1938, and he was rehabilitated in 1957.