Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 29, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jul. 01, 2017	Apr. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 775,892	$ 780,972	$ 761,030	$ 716,795	$ 673,462	$ 677,941	$ 643,164	$ 604,801	$ 3,034,689	$ 2,599,368	$ 2,317,328
Costs of products sold					496,086	487,794	469,327	443,052	2,146,165	1,896,259	1,743,506
Gross profit	219,690	236,296	227,238	205,300	177,376	190,147	173,837	161,749	888,524	703,109	573,822
Operating Income	119,667	138,098	123,293	104,062	76,006	95,416	85,005	67,578	485,120	324,005	197,058
Total other income (expense)					(8,981)	(9,228)	(9,296)	(17,136)	(68,344)	(44,641)	(102,842)
Income before taxes					67,025	86,188	75,709	50,442	416,776	279,364	94,216
Income tax expense					244,526	21,605	19,300	13,493	70,239	298,924	44,843
Net earnings (loss)	102,659	78,071	103,262	62,545	(177,501)	64,583	56,409	36,949	346,537	(19,560)	49,373
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	240	195	165	179	156	179	219	230	779	784	581
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 102,419	$ 77,876	$ 103,097	$ 62,366	(177,657)	64,404	56,190	36,719	$ 345,758	(20,344)	48,792
Minimum ownership of entities that do not have a non-controlling interest (in hundredths)	100.00%								100.00%
Research and development expense									$ 72,885	67,153	66,842
Minimum number of months until maturity from original purchase date for a highly liquid investment to be considered a short-term investment (in months)									3 months
Bad debt expense									$ 2,570	301	61
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated cost to complete construction in progress	$ 127,000								127,000
Depreciation expense									150,056	148,883	144,521
Cash and investments restricted for potential insurance claims	11,046				9,438				11,046	9,438
Outstanding claim accrual	0				560				$ 0	560
Software [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									3 years
Software [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									10 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									5 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									20 years
Patents and acquired technology [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									7 years
Patents and acquired technology [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									25 years
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									3 years
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life									10 years
Previously Reported [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues					674,489	677,883	644,892	606,258		2,603,522	2,323,431
Costs of products sold					497,988	488,610	471,929	445,383		1,903,910	1,753,648
Gross profit					176,501	189,273	172,963	160,875		699,612	569,783
Operating Income					72,536	92,328	82,036	64,688		311,588	101,717
Total other income (expense)					(5,511)	(6,140)	(6,327)	(14,246)		(32,224)	(7,501)
Income before taxes					67,025	86,188	75,709	50,442		279,364	94,216
Income tax expense					244,526	21,605	19,300	13,493		298,924	44,843
Net earnings (loss)					(177,501)	64,583	56,409	36,949		(19,560)	49,373
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests					156	179	219	230		784	581
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders					(177,657)	64,404	56,190	36,719		(20,344)	48,792
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues					(1,027)	58	(1,728)	(1,457)		(4,154)	(6,103)
Costs of products sold					(1,902)	(816)	(2,602)	(2,331)		(7,651)	(10,142)
Gross profit					875	874	874	874		3,497	4,039
Operating Income					3,470	3,088	2,969	2,890		12,417	95,341
Total other income (expense)					(3,470)	(3,088)	(2,969)	(2,890)		(12,417)	(95,341)
Income before taxes					0	0	0	0		0	0
Income tax expense					0	0	0	0		0	0
Net earnings (loss)					0	0	0	0		0	0
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests					0	0	0	0		0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders					$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful Life									7 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful Life									10 years
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful Life									20 years
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Useful Life									40 years
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
New accounting pronouncement future impact on lease assets and liabilities	90,000								$ 90,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
New accounting pronouncement future impact on lease assets and liabilities	$ 100,000								$ 100,000