Consolidated Condensed Statement of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock	Class B Convertible Common Stock [Member]	Capital In Excess of Par Value	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Vishay Stockholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interest	Total
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 2,210	$ 0	$ 2,210	$ 0	$ 2,210
Balance at December 31, 2017 at Dec. 31, 2015	13,546	1,213	2,058,492	(319,448)	(131,327)	1,622,476	5,567	1,628,043
Net earnings	0	0	0	48,792	0	48,792	581	49,373
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	36,675	36,675	0	36,675
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(707)	(707)
Share repurchase	(175)	0	(22,984)	0	0	(23,159)	0	(23,159)
Temporary equity reclassification	0	0	(88,659)	0	0	(88,659)	0	(88,659)
Restricted stock issuances	11	0	(553)	0	0	(542)	0	(542)
Dividends declared	0	0	36	(36,761)	0	(36,725)	0	(36,725)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	6,380	0	0	6,380	0	6,380
Stock options exercised	3	0	353	0	0	356	0	356
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	(77)	0	0	(77)	0	(77)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	13,385	1,213	1,952,988	(305,207)	(94,652)	1,567,727	5,441	1,573,168
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU	0	0	0	386	0	386	0	386
Net earnings	0	0	0	(20,344)	0	(20,344)	784	(19,560)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	120,366	120,366	0	120,366
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,140)	(1,140)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests	0	0	(1,047)	0	0	(1,047)	(3,053)	(4,100)
Share repurchase	(225)	0	(39,719)	0	0	(39,944)	0	(39,944)
Temporary equity reclassification	0	0	(163,411)	0	0	(163,411)	0	(163,411)
Restricted stock issuances	20	0	(1,991)	0	0	(1,971)	0	(1,971)
Dividends declared	0	0	40	(37,089)	0	(37,049)	0	(37,049)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	4,394	0	0	4,394	0	4,394
Stock options exercised	8	0	1,252	0	0	1,260	0	1,260
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	13,188	1,213	1,752,506	(362,254)	25,714	1,430,367	2,032	1,432,399
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU	0	0	0	1,801	(1,801)	0	0	0
Net earnings	0	0	0	62,366	0	62,366	179	62,545
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	28,631	28,631	0	28,631
Conversions from Class B to common stock	3	(3)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Temporary equity reclassification	0	0	1,080	0	0	1,080	0	1,080
Restricted stock issuances	21	0	(2,318)	0	0	(2,297)	0	(2,297)
Dividends declared	0	0	11	(9,746)	0	(9,735)	0	(9,735)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	2,483	0	0	2,483	0	2,483
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 13,212	$ 1,210	$ 1,753,762	$ (307,833)	$ 52,544	$ 1,512,895	$ 2,211	$ 1,515,106