Consolidated Condensed Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Capital In Excess of Par Value [Member]	Capital In Excess of Par Value [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Total Vishay Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Total Vishay Stockholders' Equity [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Class B Convertible Common Stock [Member]	Class B Convertible Common Stock [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]
Balance at Period Start at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 1,436,011		$ (61,258)		$ (6,791)		$ 1,382,384		$ 2,286		$ 1,384,670		$ 13,212		$ 1,210
Net earnings	0		75,459		0		75,459		182		75,641		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		(8,532)		(8,532)		0		(8,532)		0		0
Conversion of Class B shares	0		0		0		0		0		0		0		0
Temporary equity reclassification	3		0		0		3		0		3		0		0
Issuance of stock and related tax withholdings for vested restricted stock units	(2,681)		0		0		(2,659)		0		(2,659)		22		0
Dividends declared			(12,292)		0		(12,277)		0		(12,277)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	15
Stock compensation expense	3,536		0		0		3,536		0		3,536		0		0
Repurchase of convertible debt instruments	(11,783)		0		0		(11,783)		0		(11,783)		0		0
Balance at Period End at Mar. 30, 2019	1,425,101		24,922		(15,323)		1,449,144		2,468		1,451,612		13,234		1,210
Balance at Period Start at Dec. 31, 2018	1,436,011		(61,258)		(6,791)		1,382,384		2,286		1,384,670		13,212		1,210
Net earnings											150,641
Other comprehensive income											(21,161)
Balance at Period End at Sep. 28, 2019	1,427,049		71,956		(27,952)		1,485,498		2,353		1,487,851		13,235		1,210
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU		$ 0		$ 23,013		$ 0		$ 23,013		$ 0		$ 23,013		$ 0		$ 0
Balance at Period Start at Mar. 30, 2019	1,425,101		24,922		(15,323)		1,449,144		2,468		1,451,612		13,234		1,210
Net earnings	0		44,477		0		44,477		258		44,735		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		9,007		9,007		0		9,007		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0		0		0		0		(600)		(600)		0		0
Temporary equity reclassification	206		0		0		206		0		206		0		0
Issuance of stock and related tax withholdings for vested restricted stock units	(50)		0		0		(49)		0		(49)		1		0
Dividends declared			(13,740)		0		(13,723)		0		(13,723)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	17
Stock compensation expense	890		0		0		890		0		890		0		0
Balance at Period End at Jun. 29, 2019	1,426,164		55,659		(6,316)		1,489,952		2,126		1,492,078		13,235		1,210
Net earnings	0		30,038		0		30,038		227		30,265		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		(21,636)		(21,636)		0		(21,636)		0		0
Dividends declared			(13,741)		0		(13,723)		0		(13,723)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	18
Stock compensation expense	867		0		0		867		0		867		0		0
Balance at Period End at Sep. 28, 2019	1,427,049		71,956		(27,952)		1,485,498		2,353		1,487,851		13,235		1,210
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU											72,180
Balance at Period Start at Dec. 31, 2019	1,425,170		72,180		(26,646)		1,485,149		2,540		1,487,689		13,235		1,210
Net earnings	0		27,219		0		27,219		165		27,384		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		(21,528)		(21,528)		0		(21,528)		0		0
Temporary equity reclassification	174		0		0		174		0		174		0		0
Issuance of stock and related tax withholdings for vested restricted stock units	(2,011)		0		0		(1,991)		0		(1,991)		20		0
Dividends declared			(13,759)		0		(13,741)		0		(13,741)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	18
Stock compensation expense	2,998		0		0		2,998		0		2,998		0		0
Repurchase of convertible debt instruments	(10,089)		0		0		(10,089)		0		(10,089)		0		0
Balance at Period End at Apr. 04, 2020	1,416,260		84,570		(48,174)		1,467,121		2,705		1,469,826		13,255		1,210
Balance at Period Start at Dec. 31, 2019	1,425,170		72,180		(26,646)		1,485,149		2,540		1,487,689		13,235		1,210
Net earnings											85,940
Other comprehensive income											23,306
Balance at Period End at Oct. 03, 2020	1,410,335		115,184		(3,340)		1,536,645		2,524		1,539,169		13,256		1,210
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU		$ 0		$ (1,070)		$ 0		$ (1,070)		$ 0		$ (1,070)		$ 0		$ 0
Balance at Period Start at Apr. 04, 2020	1,416,260		84,570		(48,174)		1,467,121		2,705		1,469,826		13,255		1,210
Net earnings	0		24,653		0		24,653		242		24,895		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		21,848		21,848		0		21,848		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0		0		0		0		(600)		(600)		0		0
Issuance of stock and related tax withholdings for vested restricted stock units	(26)		0		0		(25)		0		(25)		1		0
Dividends declared			(13,761)		0		(13,743)		0		(13,743)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	18
Stock compensation expense	875		0		0		875		0		875		0		0
Repurchase of convertible debt instruments	(4,352)		0		0		(4,352)		0		(4,352)		0		0
Balance at Period End at Jul. 04, 2020	1,412,775		95,462		(26,326)		1,496,377		2,347		1,498,724		13,256		1,210
Net earnings	0		33,484		0		33,484		177		33,661		0		0
Other comprehensive income	0		0		22,986		22,986		0		22,986		0		0
Dividends declared			(13,762)		0		(13,743)		0		(13,743)		0		0
Dividends declared (APIC)	19
Stock compensation expense	732		0		0		732		0		732		0		0
Repurchase of convertible debt instruments	(3,191)		0		0		(3,191)		0		(3,191)		0		0
Balance at Period End at Oct. 03, 2020	$ 1,410,335		$ 115,184		$ (3,340)		$ 1,536,645		$ 2,524		1,539,169		$ 13,256		$ 1,210
Cumulative effect of accounting change for adoption of ASU											$ 115,184