Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2017	Jul. 02, 2016	Jul. 01, 2017	Jul. 02, 2016
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 56,190	$ 33,086	$ 92,909	$ 61,100
Adjustment to the numerator for continuing operations and net earnings:
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax	0	0	0	38
Numerator for diluted earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders - diluted	$ 56,190	$ 33,086	$ 92,909	$ 61,138
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
Weighted average shares	146,226	147,500	146,173	147,597
Outstanding phantom stock units	155	143	155	142
Adjusted weighted average shares (basic)	146,381	147,643	146,328	147,739
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments	8,651	1,995	8,500	2,311
Restricted stock units	268	207	260	187
Dilutive potential common shares	8,919	2,202	8,760	2,498
Denominator for diluted earnings per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares (diluted)	155,300	149,845	155,088	150,237
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.22	$ 0.63	$ 0.41
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.22	$ 0.60	$ 0.41
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	20,675	0	20,625
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)	$ 13.04		$ 13.04
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)	8,371	8,230	8,356	8,209
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)	$ 17.87		$ 17.87
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)	$ 11.09		$ 11.09
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	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	581	610