Summary of Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ 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, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Operations data:
Net revenues	$ 570,819		$ 591,955		$ 590,051		$ 570,606		$ 555,928		$ 560,654		$ 590,470		$ 593,436					$ 2,323,431	$ 2,300,488	$ 2,493,282
Gross profit	132,445		153,901		146,128		137,309		125,556		130,144		141,482		145,038					569,783	542,220	611,292
Operating Income	(45,468)		57,229		49,408		40,548		30,226		(24,155)		44,170		47,558					101,717	97,799	189,111
Net earnings (loss)	(48,604)		36,596		33,229		28,152		(137,626)		(27,550)		26,518		30,925					49,373	(107,733)	117,843
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	144		156		143		138		189		116		250		226					581	781	214
Net earnings (loss) 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
Per Share data:
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (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 (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (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
Operating income (loss):
Restructuring and related expenses	$ 7,060		$ 1,197		$ 4,467		$ 6,475		$ 9,821		$ 2,324		$ 5,660		$ 1,410					$ 19,199	$ 19,215	$ 20,897
Impairment of Intangible Assets	0		1,559		0		0		0		57,600		0		0					1,559	57,600	0
Impairment of Goodwill	0		0		0		0		0		5,380		0		0					0	5,380	0
U.S. pension settlement charges	79,321		0		0		0		0		0		0		0					79,321	0	15,588
Other income (expense):
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0		0		986		3,611		0		0		0		0					4,597	0	0
Loss related to Tianjin explosion	8,809		0		0		0		0		(5,350)		0		0					(8,809)	5,350	0
Income Tax Expense
Discrete Tax Items Repatriation	(165)		(1,402)		(1,217)		(769)		163,954		0		0		0					(3,553)	163,954	25,706
Discrete Tax Items - Pension Settlement	34,853		0		0		0		0		0		0		0					34,853	0	0
Tax effects of changes in uncertain tax positions	(8,704)		0		0		0		(2,629)		0		0		0					(8,704)	2,629	(25,706)
Tax effect of changes in valuation allowances	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ (8,888)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Discrete Tax Items Included Income Tax Expense																	$ (1,228)	$ (2,867)	$ (1,330)	$ 22,596	$ 152,437	$ (1,228)
Quarter end date	Dec. 31, 2016	[2]	Oct. 01, 2016	[2]	Jul. 02, 2016	[2]	Apr. 02, 2016	[2]	Dec. 31, 2015	[2]	Oct. 03, 2015	[2]	Jul. 04, 2015	[2]	Apr. 04, 2015	[2]				Dec. 31, 2016
Number of weeks in an interim reporting period																				P91D

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

[2] 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.