He is the Mayor of Préizerdaul, having been a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1989 until 2007.
James Schwebach was born at Platen, in the Préizerdaul commune of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, to Nicholas Joseph and Margaret (née Busch) Schwebach.
In 1982, Calmes became Mayor of Préizerdaul (then named 'Bettborn'), in north-western Luxembourg.