Carasso created the National Monument for the Merchant Navy in memory of the victims who died at sea during the Second World War. The statue is 46 metres high, and is entitled De Boeg (‘The Bow’). The sculpture is a stylised ship’s bow, ‘cutting’ through concrete waves. The piece was unveiled in 1957, and even before the unveiling, the sculpture was the object of criticism; the decision was later made to add a human element to the work. In 1965, a group of bronze figures were placed at the foot of the statue. The text ‘Zij hielden koers (they stayed on course)’ appears at the base of the monument.
