Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Exchangeable Unsecured Notes, Due 2102 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Exchangeable Unsecured Notes, Due 2102 [Member]	Jul. 05, 2010 Exchangeable Unsecured Notes, Due 2102 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Debentures 2042 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Senior Debentures 2042 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 640,000
Line of Credit Facility, Initiation Date	Aug. 08, 2013
Expiration date	Aug. 08, 2018
Maximum incremental revolving commitments	50,000
Interest rate description	Borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus an interest margin. The applicable interest margin is based on the Company's leverage ratio. Based on the Company's current leverage ratio, borrowings bear interest at LIBOR plus 1.75%. The interest rate on the Company’s borrowings will increase to LIBOR plus 2.00% if the Company’s leverage ratio equals or exceeds 2.50 to 1 and will decrease to LIBOR plus 1.50% if the Company’s leverage ratio decreases below 1.50 to 1. Vishay is also required to pay facility fees on the entire commitment amount based on the Company's leverage ratio. Based on the Company's current leverage ratio, the facility fee is 0.35% per annum. Such facility fee will increase to 0.50% per annum if the Company’s leverage ratio equals or exceeds 2.50 to 1 and will decrease to 0.30% per annum if the leverage ratio decreases below 1.50 to 1.
Basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)	1.75%														2.00%	1.50%
Commitment fees (in hundredths)	0.35%														0.50%	0.30%
Basis increase upon leverage ratio decrease (in hundredths)															2.50	1.50
Covenant terms	The Credit Facility permits the Company to repurchase shares of its common stock or pay cash dividends up to a permitted capacity, conditioned upon Vishay maintaining (i) a pro forma leverage ratio of 2.75 to 1.00, (ii) a pro forma interest expense coverage ratio of 2.00 to 1.00, and (iii) $300,000 of available liquidity, as defined in the Credit Facility. The permitted capacity to repurchase shares of the Company's outstanding common stock or pay cash dividends under the Credit Facility increases each quarter by an amount equal to 20% of net income. At December 31, 2013, the Credit Facility allows the Company to repurchase its common stock or pay cash dividends up to $204,596 (See Note 7). The amount and timing of any future stock repurchases or cash dividends remains subject to authorization of the Company's Board of Directors.
Available liquidity	300,000
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Compliance	The Credit Facility also contains customary events of default, including, but not limited to, failure to pay principal or interest, failure to pay or default under other material debt, material misrepresentation or breach of warranty, violation of certain covenants, a change of control, the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings, the insolvency of Vishay or certain of its significant subsidiaries, and the rendering of a judgment in excess of $25,000 against Vishay or certain of its significant subsidiaries. Upon the occurrence of an event of default under the Credit Facility, the Company's obligations under the credit facility may be accelerated and the lending commitments under the credit facility terminated.
Permitted stock repurchase or cash dividend payment capacity under credit facility	204,596
Available borrowing capacity	518,345	431,295
Letters of credit outstanding	7,655	7,705
Committed and uncommitted short-term credit lines	27,400	18,200
Credit facility accelerated repayment minimum judgement	25,000
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	364,911	392,931
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent							101,846	100,166		52,264	51,399		58,159	57,324
Exchangeable unsecured notes, due 2102				38,642	95,042
Credit facility	114,000	89,000
Less current portion	0	0
Long-term debt, less current portion	364,911	392,931
Debt Instruments [Abstract]
Convertible senior debentures issuance date							Nov. 09, 2010			May 13, 2011			May 31, 2012
Debt maturity date							Nov. 15, 2040			May 15, 2041			Jun. 01, 2042
Stated rate of interest on debt (in hundredths)							2.25%			2.25%			2.25%
Effective rate of interest on convertible senior debentures (in hundredths)							8.00%			8.375%			7.50%
Debt instrument percentage of conversion price (in hundredths)							130.00%			130.00%			130.00%
Debt Instrument Effective Conversion Price Amount				$ 15.39			$ 18.04			$ 24.73			$ 15.35
Debt instrument, Percentage of sale price of common stock (in hundredths)							98.00%			98.00%				98.00%
Debt instrument, initial conversion shares of common stock (shares per $1000 principal)							72.0331			52.5659			84.6937
Convertible senior debentures call date							Nov. 20, 2020			May 20, 2021			Jun. 07, 2022
Principal amount of notes exchanged				56,400
Common shares issued for conversion of exchangeable notes				3,664,729
Debt instrument, initial conversion price (in dollars per share)							$ 13.88			$ 19.02			$ 11.81
Liability and equity components of convertible debentures [Abstract]
Principal amount of the debentures	575,000	575,000		38,642		105,000	275,000	275,000		150,000	150,000		150,000	150,000
Unamortized discount	(363,768)	(367,414)					(173,645)	(175,456)		(98,085)	(99,000)		(92,038)	(92,958)
Embedded derivative	1,037	1,303					491	622		349	399		197	282
Carrying value of liability component	212,269	208,889					101,846	100,166		52,264	51,399		58,159	57,324
Equity component - net carrying value	230,214	230,214					110,094	110,094		62,246	62,246		57,874	57,874
Interest expense related to debentures [Abstract]
Contractual coupon interest	12,938	11,541	8,316				6,188	6,188	6,188	3,375	3,375	2,128	3,375	1,978
Non-cash amortization of debt discount	3,646	3,028	2,046				1,811	1,675	1,548	915	843	498	920	510
Non-cash amortization of deferred financing costs	189	165	117				88	88	88	47	45	29	54	32
Non-cash change in value of derivative liability	(266)	81	456				(131)	28	275	(50)	7	181	(85)	46
Total interest expense related to the debentures	16,507	14,815	10,935				7,956	7,979	8,099	4,287	4,270	2,836	4,264	2,566
Number of shares of common stock the Notes are exchangeable into (in shares)				2,511,742
Debt instrument percentage of conversion price (in hundredths)							130.00%			130.00%			130.00%
Aggregate annual maturities of long-term debt [Abstract]
2014	0
2015	0
2016	0
2017	0
2018	114,000
Thereafter	613,642
Interest paid	$ 17,647	$ 16,578	$ 14,084