Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Oct. 03, 2015		Jul. 04, 2015		Apr. 04, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 27, 2014		Jun. 28, 2014		Mar. 29, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Numerator for basic earnings (loss) per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ (137,815)		$ (27,666)		$ 26,268		$ 30,699		$ 29,206		$ 26,971		$ 35,642		$ 25,810		$ (108,514)	$ 117,629	$ 122,980
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax																	0	59	140
Numerator for diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Net earnings (loss) attributed to Vishay stockholders - diluted																	$ (108,514)	$ 117,688	$ 123,120
Denominator for basic earnings (loss) per share:
Weighted average shares																	147,570	147,448	144,856
Incremental outstanding phantom stock units																	130	119	107
Adjusted weighted average shares outstanding - basic																	147,700	147,567	144,963
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments (in shares)																	0	5,890	6,130
Restricted stock units (in shares)																	0	252	320
Other (in shares)																	0	7	4
Dilutive potential common shares (in shares)																	0	6,149	6,454
Denominator for diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares - diluted																	147,700	153,716	151,417
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.93)	[1]	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.18	[1]	$ 0.21	[1]	$ 0.20	[1]	$ 0.18	[1]	$ 0.24	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ (0.73)	$ 0.80	$ 0.85
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	(0.93)	[1]	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ 0.20	[1]	$ 0.19	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ 0.23	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ (0.73)	$ 0.77	$ 0.81
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)																	20,477	0	19,809
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)	13.39																$ 13.39
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)																	8,151	7,944	7,885
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)	18.34																$ 18.34
Convertible Senior Debentures 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)																	13,133	0	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)	$ 11.38																$ 11.38
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
Weighted average 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	91
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)																	1,014	706	907

[1] May not add due to differences in weighted average share counts.