Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Class B Convertible Common Stock [Member]	Capital In Excess of Par Value [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total Vishay Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Balance at January 1, 2014 at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 13,520	$ 1,213	$ 2,054,087	$ (257,698)	$ 61,634	$ 1,872,756	$ 5,440	$ 1,878,196
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	117,629	0	117,629	214	117,843
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	(130,774)	(130,774)	0	(130,774)
Noncontrolling interest in business acquired	0	0	0	0	0	0	21,895	21,895
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(547)	(547)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests	0	0	424	0	0	424	(21,491)	(21,067)
Restricted stock issuances	12	0	(384)	0	0	(372)	0	(372)
Dividends declared	0	0	28	(35,416)	0	(35,388)	0	(35,388)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	2,392	0	0	2,392	0	2,392
Stock options exercised	0	0	50	0	0	50	0	50
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	(1,351)	0	0	(1,351)	0	(1,351)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	13,532	1,213	2,055,246	(175,485)	(69,140)	1,825,366	5,511	1,830,877
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	(108,514)	0	(108,514)	781	(107,733)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	(62,187)	(62,187)	0	(62,187)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(725)	(725)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests								0
Restricted stock issuances	14	0	(653)	0	0	(639)	0	(639)
Dividends declared	0	0	32	(35,449)	0	(35,417)	0	(35,417)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	3,846	0	0	3,846	0	3,846
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	21	0	0	21	0	21
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	13,546	1,213	2,058,492	(319,448)	(131,327)	1,622,476	5,567	1,628,043
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	48,792	0	48,792	581	49,373
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	36,675	36,675	0	36,675
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(707)	(707)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests								0
Share repurchase	(175)	0	(22,984)	0	0	(23,159)	0	(23,159)
Temporary equity reclassification	0	0	(88,659)	0	0	(88,659)	0	(88,659)
Restricted stock issuances	11	0	(553)	0	0	(542)	0	(542)
Dividends declared	0	0	36	(36,761)	0	(36,725)	0	(36,725)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	6,380	0	0	6,380	0	6,380
Stock options exercised	3	0	353	0	0	356	0	356
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	(77)	0	0	(77)	0	(77)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 13,385	$ 1,213	$ 1,952,988	$ (307,417)	$ (94,652)	$ 1,565,517	$ 5,441	$ 1,570,958