agencemeurisse

The caption actually read "Uhlan Prisoners" not "German prisoners". Uhlans are a type light cavalry.

Douai is a commune in the Nord département in northern France, very near Belgium, in the path of the German invasion in 1914.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douai
In this photo, two rows of French cavalry, with unarmed Germans walking between.
Similarly dressed French cavalrymen:

bior: Thanks for pointing out the correct caption. We'll fix it next time we update the description.

Agence Meurisse photo on Gallica site, publ. 1914, with caption: "Uhlans faits prisonniers près de Douai" gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9041508r

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rib%C3%A9court-Dreslincourt Saint Rémi, Ribécourt egliseinfo.catholique.fr/lieu/60/ribecourt-dreslincourt/s... Streetview 2013: goo.gl/maps/pNCHtm41dy62

This image is from Agence Meurisse, displayed on the gallica/bnf site, dated 1915, titled Les ruines de l'église de Ribécourt. gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9043632c

Thanks B-59 for locating the church and thanks Art Siegel for finding the photo on Bibliotheque Nationale's Gallica site. We'll add this information to the catalog record.

Another Bain photo of damaged La Ferte :

Original Agence Meurisse photo (see their number at upper right of Bain negative), with caption "La Ferté-sous-Jouarre : maisons en ruines après la bataille"
La Ferté-sous-Jouarre : houses in ruins after the battle.



Publication date: 1914

artolog: Thank you for finding the other related Bain photo to this one, and the matching image on the Gallica website. We will add more details when we update.