Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Consolidated Statements of Operations [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 2,603,522	$ 2,323,431	$ 2,300,488
Costs of products sold	1,903,910	1,753,648	1,758,268
Gross profit	699,612	569,783	542,220
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	376,751	367,987	362,226
Restructuring and severance costs	11,273	19,199	19,215
Impairment of Intangible Assets	0	1,559	57,600
Impairment of Goodwill	0	0	5,380
U.S. pension settlement charges	0	79,321	0
Operating Income	311,588	101,717	97,799
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(27,850)	(25,623)	(25,685)
Other	1,738	4,716	7,976
Loss on disposal of equity affiliate	(6,112)	0	0
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0	4,597	0
Gain (loss) related to Tianjin explosion	0	8,809	(5,350)
Other income (expense), total	(32,224)	(7,501)	(23,059)
Income before taxes	279,364	94,216	74,740
Income tax expense	298,924	44,843	182,473
Net earnings (loss)	(19,560)	49,373	(107,733)
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	784	581	781
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ (20,344)	$ 48,792	$ (108,514)
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (0.14)	$ 0.33	$ (0.73)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (0.14)	$ 0.32	$ (0.73)
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	145,633	147,152	147,700
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted	145,633	150,697	147,700
Cash dividends per share	$ 0.255	$ 0.250	$ 0.240