Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Apr. 04, 2015
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Fiscal Period, Policy	The Company reports interim financial information for 13-week periods beginning on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday, except for the first fiscal quarter, which always begins on January 1, and the fourth fiscal quarter, which always ends on December 31. The four fiscal quarters in 2015 end on April 4, 2015, July 4, 2015, October 3, 2015, and December 31, 2015, respectively. The four fiscal quarters in 2014 ended on March 29, 2014, June 28, 2014, September 27, 2014, and December 31, 2014, respectively.
Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]	Recently Issued Accounting Guidance In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The ASU is the result of a convergence project between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and to develop a common revenue standard for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The ASU removes inconsistencies and weaknesses in revenue requirements; provides a more robust framework for addressing revenue issues; improves comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions, and capital markets; provides more useful information to users of financial statements through expanded disclosure requirements; and simplifies the preparation of financial statements by reducing the number of requirements to which an entity must refer. The ASU is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after January 1, 2017, although a deferral has been recommended by the FASB Staff. Vishay is currently evaluating the effect of the ASU on its revenue contracts and its adoption alternatives. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. The ASU is the result of the FASB's simplification initiative intended to improve U.S. GAAP by reducing costs and complexity while maintaining or enhancing the usefulness of related financial statement information. The ASU specifies that debt issuance costs related to a note shall be reported in the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the face amount of the note. The ASU is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after January 1, 2016. The ASU will require the Company to reclassify its capitalized debt issuance costs currently recorded as assets on the consolidated condensed balance sheets. The ASU will have no effect on the Company's results of operations or liquidity.

Disclosure of accounting policy for determining an entity's fiscal year or other fiscal period. This disclosure may include identification of the fiscal period end-date, the length of the fiscal period, any reporting period lag between the entity and its subsidiaries, or equity investees. If a reporting lag exists, the closing date of the entity having a different period end is generally noted, along with an explanation of the necessity for using different closing dates. Any intervening events that materially affect the entity's financial position or results of operations are generally also disclosed.

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