Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 03, 2015	Sep. 27, 2014	Oct. 03, 2015	Sep. 27, 2014
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Net earnings	$ (27,666)	$ 26,971	$ 29,301	$ 88,423
Adjustment to the numerator for continuing operations and net earnings:
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax	0	14	50	44
Numerator for diluted earnings per share:
Net earnings	$ (27,666)	$ 26,985	$ 29,351	$ 88,467
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
Weighted average shares	147,570	147,451	147,570	147,447
Outstanding phantom stock units	131	118	130	118
Adjusted weighted average shares (basic)	147,701	147,569	147,700	147,565
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments	0	7,702	3,692	6,332
Restricted stock units	0	267	213	237
Other	0	8	2	8
Dilutive potential common shares	0	7,977	3,907	6,577
Denominator for diluted earnings per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares (diluted)	147,701	155,546	151,607	154,142
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.18	$ 0.20	$ 0.60
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.17	$ 0.19	$ 0.57
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	20,364	0	13,537	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)	$ 13.45		$ 13.45
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	8,106	7,925	8,063	7,927
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)	$ 18.44		$ 18.44
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	13,060	0	4,353	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)	$ 11.44		$ 11.44
Weighted average employees stock options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	105	77	96	77
Weighted average other [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	1,059	710	768	705
Exchangeable Unsecured Notes, Due 2102 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share Amount (in shares)	2,512	0	0	0