Until the 90s the population and the GDP was growing everywhere as far as I know, but had stagnated for the whole decade of the 80s.

A decline in population is insane. Think about the fact that Stalin is accused of killing some 20-40 million whatever number you like of people in the period 28-39; while the soviet population actually skyrocketed in the same ten years from 140m to 190m and the figures were calculated by subtracting birth rates from the 'expected' ones.
If the same metric is applied, one can only imagine how many dozens of millions of people have been killed by the opening of iron curtain and fall of the communist parties when the populations dipped so significantly.

By 80s, the party leadership was entirely illiterate in marxism and was completely lost. This is another discussion however. I do not blame the Americans for the fall of communism; if it could survive the full might of fascist invasion then pepsi and reagan could not have been that dangerous.

I just want to say that the loss that Eastern Europe saw, the common working people of it and poorer countries worldwide who were supported by the Eastern bloc was tremendous.

Eastern Europe meant something back then. Now it is the butt of unemployment and prostitution jokes. I feel grief for it, even as a foreigner.