Born in [[Bardejov|Bártfa]] (at the time part of [[Austria–Hungary]] but now [[Bardejov]], [[Slovakia]]) to a [[SwabianCarpathian GermanGermans|Zipser]] family, Rajniss's surname initially reflected his German origins before he changed it to a Hungarian version. As a journalist Rajniss belonged to the [[Hungarian National Defence Association|Szeged fascist]] camp and was a supporter of [[Gyula Gömbös]].<ref name="Rees">[[Philip Rees]], ''[[Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890]]'', 1990, p. 313</ref> He founded his own weekly paper, ''Magyar Futár'', in support of this movement and it soon became notorious for its [[anti-Semitism]].<ref>Tim Cole, ''Holocaust City'', 2003, p. 131</ref> Before long he had secured funding from Nazi Germany for his political endeavours and this was to be one of his two main source of income, the other being acting as a 'toy boy' to a number of wealthy old women.<ref name="Rees"/>