Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2017	Apr. 02, 2016
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 36,719	$ 28,014
Adjustment to the numerator for continuing operations and net earnings:
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax	0	38
Numerator for diluted earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders - diluted	$ 36,719	$ 28,052
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
Weighted average shares	146,120	147,691
Outstanding phantom stock units	154	142
Adjusted weighted average shares (basic)	146,274	147,833
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments	8,349	2,626
Restricted stock units	253	169
Dilutive potential common shares	8,602	2,795
Denominator for diluted earnings per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares (diluted)	154,876	150,628
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 0.19
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ 0.19
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)	0	20,574
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)	$ 13.09
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)	8,340	8,189
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)	$ 17.93
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)	$ 11.13
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)	0	105
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)	581	610