Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Oct. 01, 2016		Jul. 02, 2016		Apr. 02, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Oct. 03, 2015		Jul. 04, 2015		Apr. 04, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Numerator for basic earnings (loss) per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ (48,748)		$ 36,440		$ 33,086		$ 28,014		$ (137,815)		$ (27,666)		$ 26,268		$ 30,699		$ 48,792	$ (108,514)	$ 117,629
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax																	38	0	59
Numerator for diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Net earnings (loss) attributed to Vishay stockholders - diluted																	$ 48,830	$ (108,514)	$ 117,688
Denominator for basic earnings (loss) per share:
Weighted average shares																	147,009	147,570	147,448
Incremental outstanding phantom stock units																	143	130	119
Adjusted weighted average shares outstanding - basic																	147,152	147,700	147,567
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments (in shares)																	3,219	0	5,890
Restricted stock units (in shares)																	323	0	252
Other (in shares)																	3	0	7
Dilutive potential common shares (in shares)																	3,545	0	6,149
Denominator for diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares - diluted																	150,697	147,700	153,716
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.33)	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.19	[1]	$ (0.93)	[1]	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.18	[1]	$ 0.21	[1]	$ 0.33	$ (0.73)	$ 0.80
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	(0.33)	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.19	[1]	$ (0.93)	[1]	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ 0.20	[1]	$ 0.32	$ (0.73)	$ 0.77
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)																	10,312	20,477	0
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)	13.14																$ 13.14
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)																	8,249	8,151	7,944
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)	18.00																$ 18.00
Convertible Senior Debentures 2042 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)																	0	13,133	0
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)	$ 11.17																$ 11.17
Exchangeable Unsecured Notes, Due 2102 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)																	0	2,512	0
Weighted average 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)																	91	105	77
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)																	512	1,014	706

[1] May not add due to differences in weighted average share counts.