Quarterly Financial And Other Supplemental Information (Schedule Of Quarterly Financial and Other Supplemental Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Quarterly Financial and Other Supplemental Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 613,675,000	[1]	$ 614,682,000	$ 610,693,000	$ 531,853,000	$ 529,972,000	[2]	$ 493,449,000	$ 449,519,000	$ 422,164,000	$ 2,370,903,000	$ 1,895,104,000	$ 1,778,145,000
Gross profit	207,645,000	[1]	205,485,000	210,268,000	184,456,000	180,679,000	[2]	160,322,000	151,600,000	133,807,000	807,854,000	626,408,000	550,613,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Gardner Denver	77,381,000	[1]	73,583,000	67,121,000	59,478,000	57,095,000	[2]	46,575,000	37,334,000	31,958,000	277,563,000	172,962,000	(165,185,000)
Basic earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.53	[1]	$ 1.43	$ 1.28	$ 1.14	$ 1.09	[2]	$ 0.89	$ 0.71	$ 0.61	$ 5.37	$ 3.31	$ (3.18)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.52	[1]	$ 1.42	$ 1.27	$ 1.13	$ 1.08	[2]	$ 0.88	$ 0.71	$ 0.61	$ 5.33	$ 3.28	$ (3.18)
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05	[1]	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	[2]	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.05
Corporate relocation and acquisition due diligence	600,000					4,800,000
Corporate relocation and acquisition due diligence, net of tax	400,000					3,700,000
Net foreign currency gain on acquisition	$ 3,400,000
Maximum [Member]
Quarterly Financial and Other Supplemental Information [Line Items]
Common Stock Prices	$ 86.99	[1]	$ 92.93	$ 86.96	$ 78.93	$ 71.26	[2]	$ 54.57	$ 53.66	$ 46.14
Minimum [Member]
Quarterly Financial and Other Supplemental Information [Line Items]
Common Stock Prices	$ 58.26	[1]	$ 62.50	$ 74.14	$ 68.04	$ 52.17	[2]	$ 43.41	$ 42.37	$ 37.04

[1] Results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 reflect corporate relocation and acquisition due diligence costs totaling $0.6 million ($0.4 million after income taxes) and a net foreign currency gain of $3.4 million related to the financing of the Robuschi acquisition.

[2] Results for the quarter ended December 31, 2010 reflect corporate relocation and acquisition due diligence costs totaling $4.8 million ($3.7 million after income taxes).