Share-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Nov. 02, 2001
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	$ 636	$ 3,544	$ 6,832
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	9,636
Expiration date of 2007 Stock Incentive Plan	May 22, 2017
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	109,000	384,000	1,254,000
Beginning Balance, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.24	$ 15.40	$ 15.04
Granted (in shares)	0	0	0
Granted, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Exercised (in shares)	0	(22,095)	(650,621)
Exercised, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 7.89	$ 14.87
Cancelled or forfeited (in shares)	0	(253,000)	(219,000)
Cancelled or forfeited, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 16.12	$ 14.92
Balance (in shares)	109,000	109,000	384,000
Ending balance, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.24	$ 15.24	$ 15.40
Vested and expected to vest (in shares)	109,000	109,000	384,000
Exercisable (in shares)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number	109,000	79,000	323,000
Number of shares of Vishay common stock that could have been issued upon the exercise of former General Semiconductor options (in shares)				4,282,000
Weighted-average remaining contractual life of all exercisable options (in years)	3 years 2 months 23 days
Stock price per share (in dollars per share)	$ 13.26
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, options, exercisable, intrinsic value	17
Intrinsic value under share based compensation scheme	0	110	1,693
Unvested:
Balance (in shares)	30,000	61,000	253,000
Granted (in shares)	0	0	0
Vested (in shares)	(30,000)	(31,000)	(192,000)
Balance (in shares)	0	30,000	61,000
Beginning balance, weighted average exercise price of unvested options (in dollars)	$ 10.14	$ 9.96	$ 9.33
Granted, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Vested, weighted average Grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 10.14	$ 9.79	$ 9.13
Ending balance, weighted average exercise price of unvested options (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 10.14	$ 9.96
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	109,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	3 years 2 months 23 days
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.24
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	109,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 15.24
$11.54 - $12.90 [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price range, lower range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 11.54
Exercise price range, upper range limit (in dollars per share)	$ 12.90
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	32,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	2 years 10 months 6 days
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 12.73
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	32,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 12.73
$16.29 [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options outstanding, number of options (in shares)	77,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	3 years 4 months 20 days
Options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Options exercisable, number of options (in shares)	77,000
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	18	73	(83)
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	0
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	0 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	510	3,378	6,693
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	9,636
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	1 year 2 months 12 days
Exercisable (in shares)
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Expected To Vest Outstanding Number Part One	570,000	1,040,000	891,000
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	1,316,000	891,000	634,000
Granted (in shares)	374,000	437,000	423,000
Vested (in shares)	(598,000)	(12,000)	(154,000)
Cancelled or forfeited (in shares)	(33,000)	0	(12,000)
Balance (in shares)	1,059,000	1,316,000	891,000
Beginning balance, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 12.53	$ 12.58	$ 9.61
Granted, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 12.76	$ 12.31	$ 16.57
Vested, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 10.92	$ 8.29	$ 11.25
Cancelled or forfeited, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 16.54	$ 0	$ 13.26
Ending balance, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 13.40	$ 12.53	$ 12.58
Phantom Stock Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense recognized	108	93	222
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	0
Weighted Average Remaining Amortization Periods (in years)	0 years
Maximum number of shares authorized under restricted stock, unrestricted stock, RSU's and stock options to officers, employees and non-employee directors (in shares)	300,000
Exercisable (in shares)
Available for future grants (in shares)	75,000	85,000	95,000
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	97,000	87,000	116,000
Granted (in shares)	10,000	10,000	15,000
Redeemed for common stock (in shares)	0	0	(44,000)
Balance (in shares)	107,000	97,000	87,000
Granted, Weighted average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 10.75	$ 9.33	$ 14.78
Available for future grants (in shares)	75,000	85,000	95,000
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Not Expected to Vest [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	$ 1,778
Outstanding:
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	75.00%
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Scheduled to Vest January 1, 2014 [Member]
Exercisable (in shares)
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Not Expected To Vest Outstanding Number	102,000
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Expected To Vest Outstanding Number Part One	0
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	102,000
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Scheduled to Vest January 1, 2015 [Member]
Exercisable (in shares)
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Not Expected To Vest Outstanding Number	276,000
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Expected To Vest Outstanding Number Part One	0
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	276,000
Performance Vested Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Scheduled to Vest January 1, 2016 [Member]
Exercisable (in shares)
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Not Expected To Vest Outstanding Number	111,000
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Equity Instruments Other Than Options Expected To Vest Outstanding Number Part One	111,000
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	222,000
1998 Stock Option Program [Member]
Outstanding:
Balance (in shares)	99,000
2007 Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum number of shares authorized under restricted stock, unrestricted stock, RSU's and stock options to officers, employees and non-employee directors (in shares)	3,000,000
Exercisable (in shares)
Available for future grants (in shares)	766,000
Outstanding:
Available for future grants (in shares)	766,000
General Semiconductor plan [Member]
Exercisable (in shares)
Conversion ratio (in hundredths)				0.563