Originally formed in 1941, shortly after the outbreak (22 June 1941) of the German-Soviet War, the organisation was subordinate to Związek Walki Zbrojnej and bore the cryptonym 18, later changed to 27.
The final name, Wachlarz, resulted from the subdivision of the organisation into several branches, each trying to spread its influence from certain portions of the Polish border deep into Soviet territory.
The organisation was to be prepared to isolate the German frontlines by cutting the supply lines and disrupting troop movement during the planned pan-Polish national uprising.
The most notable success was cutting all railway lines leading to and from Minsk in May 1942 and a similar action in Brześć in August of the same year.
They were liberated from the Pińsk prison in a successful rescue action by sixteen Cichociemni parachuters under the command of Jan Piwnik according to Captain Wacław Kopisto who was one of them,[3] all dressed in German uniforms.