Louisendorf, named after Queen Luise, was built in 1820 by order of the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III. as a branch settlement Kurpfälzischer emigrants. These had left their homeland in 1741 because of their Protestant beliefs and had stuck on the Dutch border on the trip to Pennsylvania (USA).
Their settlement areas between Goch, Kleve and Kalkar - initially Pfalzdorf, then Louisendorf and finally Neulouisendorf - are still referred to today as the "Palatine language island", although the dialect, the "Pälzersch", is less related to the Palatinate and more to the Hunsrück.
Louisendorf is peacefully grouped around a remarkable carré along the cardinal directions. The imposing church building (mostly locked) in the center, on the other hand, is oriented towards the diagonal of the square. How the village got its name, is an exciting story and very well illustrated on boards.