Summary of Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jul. 01, 2017		Apr. 01, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Oct. 01, 2016		Jul. 02, 2016		Apr. 02, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Statement of Operations data:
Net revenues	$ 674,489		$ 677,883		$ 644,892		$ 606,258		$ 570,819		$ 591,955		$ 590,051		$ 570,606			$ 2,603,522	$ 2,323,431	$ 2,300,488
Gross profit	176,501		189,273		172,963		160,875		132,445		153,901		146,128		137,309			699,612	569,783	542,220
Operating Income	72,536		92,328		82,036		64,688		(45,468)		57,229		49,408		40,548			311,588	101,717	97,799
Net earnings (loss)	(177,501)		64,583		56,409		36,949		(48,604)		36,596		33,229		28,152			(19,560)	49,373	(107,733)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	156		179		219		230		144		156		143		138			784	581	781
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ (177,657)		$ 64,404		$ 56,190		$ 36,719		$ (48,748)		$ 36,440		$ 33,086		$ 28,014			$ (20,344)	$ 48,792	$ (108,514)
Per Share data:
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (1.23)	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.38	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ (0.33)	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.19	[1]		$ (0.14)	$ 0.33	$ (0.73)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (1.23)	[1]	$ 0.41	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ (0.33)	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.19	[1]		$ (0.14)	$ 0.32	$ (0.73)
Operating income (loss):
Restructuring and related expenses	$ 6,079		$ 3,244		$ 481		$ 1,469		$ 7,060		$ 1,197		$ 4,467		$ 6,475			$ 11,273	$ 19,199	$ 19,215
Impairment of Intangible Assets	0		0		0		0		0		1,559		0		0			0	1,559	57,600
U.S. pension settlement charges	0		0		0		0		79,321		0		0		0			0	79,321	0
Other income (expense):
Loss on disposal of equity affiliate	948		0		0		(7,060)		0		0		0		0			(6,112)	0	0
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0		0		0		0		0		0		986		3,611			0	4,597	0
Gain (loss) related to Tianjin explosion	0		0		0		0		8,809		0		0		0			0	8,809	(5,350)
Income Tax Expense
Total tax expense enactment of TCJA	234,855		0		0		0		0		0		0		0			234,855
Discrete Tax Items Repatriation	(2,702)		(892)		(1,240)		(968)		(165)		(1,402)		(1,217)		(769)		$ 163,954	5,802
Discrete Tax Items - Pension Settlement	0		0		0		0		34,853		0		0		0			0	34,853	0
Tax effects of changes in uncertain tax positions	$ 2,369		$ (804)		$ 0		$ 0		$ (8,704)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0			$ (1,565)	$ (8,704)	$ (2,629)
Quarter end date	Dec. 31, 2017	[2]	Sep. 30, 2017	[2]	Jul. 01, 2017	[2]	Apr. 01, 2017	[2]	Dec. 31, 2016	[2]	Oct. 01, 2016	[2]	Jul. 02, 2016	[2]	Apr. 02, 2016	[2]		Dec. 31, 2017
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.