Colonists
There were many social stratums in Russia and the Volga Germans were often referred by the Russian government as "colonists". This term reflected a different position in society from position held by Russian peasants at the time.
Although the vast majority of the Volga German settlers were involved in farming, they were granted a higher status as "settlers and owners of their lands".
The German colonists were not serfs and could not be enserfed. This difference from the Russian peasants (serfs) was significant from both a practical and social standpoint.
Source: "The Germans of the Soviet Union" by Irina Mukhina