Summary of Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ 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
Statement of Operations data:
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
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
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
Net earnings (loss) 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
Per Share data:
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 0.54	[1]	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 0.43	[1]	$ (1.23)	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.38	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ 2.39	$ (0.14)	$ 0.33
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ 0.69	[1]	$ 0.51	[1]	$ 0.65	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ (1.23)	[1]	$ 0.41	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ 2.24	$ (0.14)	$ 0.32
Operating income (loss):
Restructuring and related expenses	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 6,079		$ 3,244		$ 481		$ 1,469		$ 0	$ 11,273	$ 19,199
Impairment of Intangible Assets	0		0		0		0		0		0		0		0		0	0	1,559
U.S. pension settlement charges																	0	0	79,321
Other income (expense):
Loss on disposal of equity affiliate	0		0		0		0		948		0		0		(7,060)		0	(6,112)	0
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	(9,274)		0		(17,309)		0		0		0		0		0		(26,583)	0	4,597
Gain (loss) related to Tianjin explosion																	0	0	8,809
Income Tax Expense
Total tax expense enactment of TCJA	0		13,496		12,000		0		234,855		0		0		0		25,496	234,855
Discrete Tax Items Repatriation	(3,037)		680		(9,006)		1,316		(2,702)		(892)		(1,240)		(968)		(10,047)	(5,802)	(3,553)
Discrete Tax Items - Pension Settlement																	0	0	34,853
Tax effects of changes in uncertain tax positions	0		0		0		0		2,369		(804)		0		0			$ (1,565)	$ (8,704)
Discrete Tax Items Debt Extinguishment	$ (20,914)		$ 0		$ (33,963)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 54,877
Number of weeks in an interim reporting period																	13

[1] May not add due to differences in weighted average share counts.