Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Operations [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 2,323,431	$ 2,300,488	$ 2,493,282
Costs of products sold	1,753,648	1,758,268	1,881,990
Gross profit	569,783	542,220	611,292
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	367,987	362,226	385,696
Restructuring and severance costs	19,199	19,215	20,897
Impairment of Intangible Assets	1,559	57,600	0
Impairment of Goodwill	0	5,380	0
U.S. pension settlement charges	79,321	0	15,588
Operating Income	101,717	97,799	189,111
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(25,623)	(25,685)	(24,457)
Other	4,716	7,976	2,489
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	4,597	0	0
Gain (loss) related to Tianjin explosion	8,809	(5,350)	0
Other income (expense), total	(7,501)	(23,059)	(21,968)
Income before taxes	94,216	74,740	167,143
Income tax expense	44,843	182,473	49,300
Net earnings (loss)	49,373	(107,733)	117,843
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	581	781	214
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 48,792	$ (108,514)	$ 117,629
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ 0.33	$ (0.73)	$ 0.80
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ 0.32	$ (0.73)	$ 0.77
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	147,152	147,700	147,567
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted	150,697	147,700	153,716
Cash dividends per share	$ 0.25	$ 0.24	$ 0.24