Ludwigshafen, is the largest city (population 163,000 in 2006) in the Rhenish Palatinate, Germany, founded in 1843 by Louis I, King of Bavaria, elevated to a town in 1853. Since 1891 it has been the seat of a Mennonite church, which was previously known as Friesenheim. The oldest parts of the present city (Ankerhof, Hemshof, Rohrlacherhof, and Gräfenau) were settled by Mennonites soon after the Thirty Years' War. They were all hereditary leaseholders on lands owned by nobles and monasteries. At first they belonged to the Mannheim congregation. The origin of the congregation really goes back to 1702, according to the Gemeinde-Kalender. In the beginning it was united with Eppstein and Ruchheim.

The Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim congregation in 1954 was in a circuit with Ibersheim and Eppstein, which together employed a common pastor who lived in Ibersheim. The baptized membership in 1954 was about 80. The members were farmers, officials, merchants, and laborers. The congregation's meetinghouse was dedicated on 9 September 1903. The Conference of the South German Mennonites met here annually for many years, until the church became too small; then larger halls were rented. The location of the city makes it a center for the Mennonites of South Germany. The city was badly damaged in the bombings of World War II.

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