The club was founded in 1919 by the Germans of Maribor and was the five-time runner-up of the Ljubljana Subassociation League.

In late 1918, the first aspirations of founding a new German football club in Maribor have arisen.

In March 1919, Sportvereinigung Rapid was officially founded with Franz Rueß becoming the first club president.

After one year, Rueß resigned and was replaced by Walter Thalmann, who in January 1920 signed a contract with the Maribor's city authorities to obtain a football field at the Ljudski vrt area for the next ten years.

A year later, Rapid moved to the newly built Poljane Sports Complex; the reason why Rapid left the Ljudski vrt area, despite having a ten-year rental agreement, is unknown.