History

The long and glorious history of SK Rapid began back in the late 19th century when a group of youthful smelters banded together and in summer 1898 formed the 1. Wiener Arbeiter Fußball-Club.

Despite domestic and international success being a constant theme throughout the club’s history, the years following the Second World War up to the beginning of the 1960’s have come to be known as SK Rapid’s “Golden Years”.

The Pfarrwiese (literally: the Parish Meadow) initially provided room for roughly four thousand spectators, before gradually increasing over the years to accommodate eight thousand Rapid fans.

In June 1971 work began on a new home for SK Rapid, the West Stadium, which would later be re-named the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium in honour of its architect, the SK Rapid legend Gerhard Hanappi.

The 1980’s would prove to be successful for Rapid Vienna: the club landed its first Championship in fourteen years at the beginning of the decade and would go on to sensationally reach the UEFA Cup final.

No other club in Austria looks after its former supporters or legendary players in such careful fashion. In order for a player to become a member of the club they must appear in 100 competitive games for the club.

The Rapid-Viertelstunde (literally: the Rapid quarter of an hour) has for more than a century been the most remarkable and well known of all the traditions associated with SK Rapid.