Share-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Y	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	$ 6,832	$ 2,643	$ 1,770
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	4,405
Maximum number of shares authorized under restricted stock, unrestricted stock, RSU's and stock options to officers, employees and non-employee directors (in shares)	3,000,000
Expiration date of 2007 Stock Incentive Plan	May 22, 2017
Outstanding:
Exercised (in shares)	650,621
Conversion ratio (in hundredths)	0.563
Number of shares of Vishay common stock that could have been issued upon the exercise of former General Semiconductor options (in shares)	4,282,000
Percentage of decrease in exercise price of all stock options as a consequence of spin-off of VPG (in hundredths)		9.48%
Number of stock options held by VPG employees that expired (in shares)		102,000
Adjustment of performance vesting criteria of performance-based RSUs to reflect the absence of VPG within consolidated results (in hundredths)		10.00%
Weighted-average remaining contractual life of all exercisable options (in years)	1.17
Stock price per share (in dollars per share)	$ 8.99
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, options, exercisable, intrinsic value	24
Intrinsic value under share based compensation scheme	1,693
Unvested:
Number of RSUs held by VPG employees that expired (in units)	5,000
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	384,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	1.82
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.40
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	323,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.34
$7.89 [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price range, lower range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 7.89
Exercise price range, upper range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 7.89
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	22,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	0.67
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 7.89
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	22,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 7.89
$11.54 - $14.33 [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price range, lower range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 11.54
Exercise price range, upper range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 14.33
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	53,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	3.18
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 13.31
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	43,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 13.42
$16.29 [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price range, lower range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Exercise price range, upper range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	309,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	1.67
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	258,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	(83)	619	827
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	92
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	1.1
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	1,254,000	2,728,000	3,904,000
Granted (in shares)	0	0	0
Exercised (in shares)	(651,000)	0	0
Cancelled or forfeited (in shares)	(219,000)	(1,733,000)	(1,176,000)
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off (in shares)	0	259,000	0
Balance (in shares)	384,000	1,254,000	2,728,000
Vested and expected to vest (in shares)	384,000	1,254,000	2,728,000
Exercisable (in shares)	323,000	1,001,000	2,400,000
Beginning Balance, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.04	$ 19.84	$ 18.55
Granted, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Exercised, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 14.87	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Cancelled or forfeited, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 14.92	$ 20.35	$ 15.55
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Ending balance, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.40	$ 15.04	$ 19.84
Unvested:
Balance (in shares)	253,000	328,000	447,000
Granted (in shares)	0	0	0
Vested (in shares)	(192,000)	(81,000)	(93,000)
Forfeited (in shares)	0	(19,000)	(26,000)
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off (in shares)	0	25,000	0
Balance (in shares)	61,000	253,000	328,000
Beginning balance, weighted average exercise price of unvested options (in dollars)	$ 9.33	$ 9.93	$ 9.64
Vested, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 9.13	$ 9.24	$ 8.96
Forfeited, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 7.95	$ 8.47
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Ending balance, weighted average exercise price of unvested options (in dollars per share)	$ 9.96	$ 9.33	$ 9.93
Stock Options [Member] | Dr. Felix Zandman [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares immediately vested upon occurrence of accelerating event	77,334
Stock Options [Member] | Dr. Lior Yahalomi [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares immediately vested upon occurrence of accelerating event	29,459
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	6,693	1,849	869
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	4,313
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	1.5
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	634,000	155,000	197,000
Granted (in shares)	423,000	509,000	36,000
Cancelled or forfeited (in shares)	(12,000)	(14,000)	0
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off (in shares)	0	60,000	0
Balance (in shares)	891,000	634,000	155,000
RSUs vesting January 1, 2013 (in shares)	324,000
RSUs vesting January 1, 2014 (in shares)	233,000
Unvested:
Granted (in shares)	423,000	509,000	36,000
Vested (in shares)	(154,000)	(76,000)	(78,000)
Granted, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 16.57	$ 10.87	$ 5.20
Vested, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 11.25	$ 9.68	$ 9.20
Forfeited, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 13.26	$ 8.83	$ 0.00
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Outstanding:
Beginning balance, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 9.61	$ 9.14	$ 9.88
Ending balance, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 12.58	$ 9.61	$ 9.14
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Dr. Felix Zandman [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares immediately vested upon occurrence of accelerating event	98,375
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Dr. Lior Yahalomi [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares immediately vested upon occurrence of accelerating event	18,438
Phantom Stock Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	222	175	74
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	$ 0
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	0.0
Maximum number of shares authorized under restricted stock, unrestricted stock, RSU's and stock options to officers, employees and non-employee directors (in shares)	300,000
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	95,000	110,000	145,000
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	116,000	120,000	100,000
Granted (in shares)	15,000	20,000	20,000
Redeemed for common stock (in shares)	(44,000)	(39,000)	0
Adjustment due to VPG spin-off (in shares)	0	15,000	0
Balance (in shares)	87,000	116,000	120,000
Granted, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 14.78	$ 8.76	$ 3.70
Available for future grants (in shares)	95,000	110,000	145,000
1998 Stock Option Program [Member]
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	309,000
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	309,000
2007 Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	1,534,000
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	1,534,000
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Dr. Felix Zandman [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares to be vested immediately upon the Company's achievement of performance-based criteria	202,330
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Dr. Lior Yahalomi [Member]
Outstanding:
Shares to be vested immediately upon the Company's achievement of performance-based criteria	55,316