German inflation was the result of deliberate and knowing policy designed to undermine the financial demands of the Treaty of Versailles. It was not the result of not knowing what those actions would do.
It is also completely false that there was no inflation under the Gold Standard. The importation of the metals of the New World set off a century of inflation which wrecked the Spanish economy. In fact, discovery of new sources always resulted in price rises because it expanded the money supply.
There are NO positive features of a Gold Standard and those claiming to be on one were never able to maintain it for long.
Domestic policy had a bigger effect: wage and price controls and underwriting inefficient domestic industry produced stagflation which was fought with hyperinflation.
Possibly so, and that is the French argument. The Germans had war reparations at about 10% of their total GDP per year. The Germans, of course, maintained that they tried their best but that the reparations were overburdening. Whether intentional or not, the inflation occurred because of massive deficit spending.
It is also completely false that there was no inflation under the Gold Standard.
True, but inflation was less of an issue and there were also periods of deflation.
I am not advocating the gold standard and am certainly no fan of deflation. People need to remember that gold is not magical, it is a commodity just like any other natural resource and subject to supply, demand, and speculative considerations outside of any monetary use. I for one don't want the value on my money based upon how much bling 50 Cent is buying this week.
But central banks are far from perfect. I happen to think the USA has the best one going, but the history of Germany and Argentina should scare us a bit regarding the damage that central banks can cause from incompetence and abuse.