Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 780,972	$ 677,941	$ 2,258,797	$ 1,925,906
Costs of products sold	544,676	487,794	1,589,963	1,400,173
Gross profit	236,296	190,147	668,834	525,733
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	98,198	91,487	303,381	272,540
Restructuring and severance costs	0	3,244	0	5,194
Operating income	138,098	95,416	365,453	247,999
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(10,813)	(6,938)	(26,862)	(20,804)
Other components of net periodic pension cost	(3,367)	(3,088)	(10,336)	(8,947)
Other	2,890	798	5,440	1,151
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			(17,309)	0
Loss on disposal of equity affiliate			0	(7,060)
Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total	(11,290)	(9,228)	(49,067)	(35,660)
Income before taxes	126,808	86,188	316,386	212,339
Income tax expense	48,737	21,605	72,508	54,398
Net earnings	78,071	64,583	243,878	157,941
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	195	179	539	628
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 77,876	$ 64,404	$ 243,339	$ 157,313
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 0.54	$ 0.44	$ 1.69	$ 1.08
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 0.51	$ 0.41	$ 1.55	$ 1.01
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	144,383	145,728	144,364	146,128
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted	152,946	156,701	156,702	155,626
Cash dividends per share	$ 0.0850	$ 0.0625	$ 0.2375	$ 0.1875