Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 02, 2016	Jul. 04, 2015	Jul. 02, 2016	Jul. 04, 2015
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 33,086	$ 26,268	$ 61,100	$ 56,967
Adjustment to the numerator for continuing operations and net earnings:
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax	0	17	38	33
Numerator for diluted earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders - diluted	$ 33,086	$ 26,285	$ 61,138	$ 57,000
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
Weighted average shares	147,500	147,570	147,597	147,569
Outstanding phantom stock units	143	130	142	130
Adjusted weighted average shares (basic)	147,643	147,700	147,739	147,699
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments	1,995	3,788	2,311	4,283
Restricted stock units	207	212	187	198
Other	0	0	0	3
Dilutive potential common shares	2,202	4,000	2,498	4,484
Denominator for diluted earnings per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares (diluted)	149,845	151,700	150,237	152,183
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.18	$ 0.41	$ 0.39
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.17	$ 0.41	$ 0.37
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	20,675	20,248	20,625	10,124
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 13.25		$ 13.25
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	8,230	8,060	8,209	8,042
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 18.16		$ 18.16
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 11.27		$ 11.27
Weighted average employees stock options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	105	105	105	91
Weighted average other [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	610	842	610	731