Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Numerator [Abstract]
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 75,459	$ 62,366
Denominator [Abstract]
Weighted average shares (in shares)	144,375	144,160
Outstanding phantom stock units (in shares)	179	167
Adjusted weighted average shares - basic (in shares)	144,554	144,327
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments (in shares)	237	14,610
Restricted stock units (in shares)	498	565
Dilutive potential common shares (in shares)	735	15,175
Denominator for diluted earnings per share [Abstract]
Adjusted weighted average shares - diluted	145,289	159,502
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.43
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.39
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Principal amount of convertible subordinated notes redeemed	$ 22,695	$ 0
Convertible Senior Notes, Due 2025 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	19,052	0
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 31.49
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 17.41
Weighted Average Other [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	315	307
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Minimum market price of common stock for inclusion of shares issuable upon conversion of senior debentures for calculation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 12.71