Fußball-Club Phönix Ludwigshafen was established in July 1904 and played in the Westkreis-Liga of the regional Süddeutschland league in the years leading up to World War I.

The war significantly reduced play in many parts of the country and the situation did not improve until after the conflict had concluded.

Following the reorganization of German football under the Third Reich in 1933, FC became part of the Gauliga Südwest, one of 16 new regional top-flight divisions.

The club was re-established following the conflict as Sportverein Phönix 1903 Ludwigshafen and played in the first division Oberliga Südwest from 1945 until 1962 as a mid-table side.

The club, now as Tura Ludwigshafen, won promotion to the Gauliga in 1941, belonging to this league until the end of the war.

In 1950, the club returned to first division football, earning promotion to the Oberliga Südwest and remained a mid-table side in this league until 1963, with the exception of 1956–57.

The new club continued to play in the Regionalliga Südwest after the merger in 1964 but remained an undistinctive side.

Only in 1970 and 1971 did it come close to taking part in the Promotion round to the Fußball-Bundesliga when it earned third-place finishes.