A key element of Hitler's speech was his ability to revive the feeling of national pride, weakened in the First World War and in the subsequent Treaty of Versailles. After these events, Germany had lost economic importance in Europe, along with all its colonies, and had also acquired a heavy debt by accepting responsibility for the war. Hitler promised to repudiate the Treaty of Versailles, suspend compensation payments, generate employment, fight corruption and control the rich. Subtly, the Nazis also began to associate the Jews with communists and corrupt businessmen, reviving old anti-Semitic sentiments.
