The organization had little formal structure, and no leader. All members had one vote during meetings, but during combat operations they selected a temporary commander whom they all swore to obey without question. Secrecy was paramount. As such, members took care not to carry identifying objects, and did not engage in any display of activism in public. Members who were caught often committed suicide; they would execute their wounded comrades so they would not be taken prisoner. Stańczyk speculates that one of the reasons that the group was and still is relatively unknown was that after the communist takeover of Poland in the aftermath of World War II, research on "terrorist" communism was strongly discouraged.