How to force-merge a git branch into another? -

How to force-merge a git branch into another? -

we have 2 branches, master (stable/live) , stage (testing). when deploying, stage merged master , master deployed.

back in time (and not synonym myself) did several commits (hotfixes) on master only.

now when merging stage master, files affected hotfixes won't merged anymore, ignore changes in stage branch.

this seems way git works - btw alienates me. considered cherrypicking master commits or rebaseing but, due lack of knowledge, don't know if of succeed - or how properly.

what best way merge these off-sync files changes both branches survive?

update merging did happen expected; got confused resulting diff until realized it's one-way-merge.

i don't see how creating these hotfixes on master issue. merging stage master on next release should work fine - hotfixes kept, , new commits applied on top of them.

what should do, however, merge master stage bring hotfixes test-land. 2 branches in sync , should ok again.

git