Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Class B Convertible Common Stock [Member]	Capital In Excess of Par Value [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total Vishay Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 13,114	$ 1,213	$ 1,999,901	$ (380,678)	$ (10,222)	$ 1,623,328	$ 4,908	$ 1,628,236
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	122,980	0	122,980	789	123,769
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	71,856	71,856	0	71,856
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(257)	(257)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests								0
Phantom and restricted stock issuances	40	0	(2,680)	0	0	(2,640)	0	(2,640)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	636	0	0	636	0	636
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	196	0	0	196	0	196
Issuance of common stock for exchangeable unsecured notes	366	0	56,034	0	0	56,400	0	56,400
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	13,520	1,213	2,054,087	(257,698)	61,634	1,872,756	5,440	1,878,196
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	117,629	0	117,629	214	117,843
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	(130,774)	(130,774)	0	(130,774)
Noncontrolling interest in business acquired	0	0	0	0	0	0	21,895	21,895
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(547)	(547)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests	0	0	424	0	0	424	(21,491)	(21,067)
Phantom and restricted stock issuances	12	0	(384)	0	0	(372)	0	(372)
Dividends declared	0	0	28	(35,416)	0	(35,388)	0	(35,388)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	2,392	0	0	2,392	0	2,392
Stock options exercised	0	0	50	0	0	50	0	50
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	(1,351)	0	0	(1,351)	0	(1,351)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	13,532	1,213	2,055,246	(175,485)	(69,140)	1,825,366	5,511	1,830,877
Net earnings (loss)	0	0	0	(108,514)	0	(108,514)	781	(107,733)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0	(62,187)	(62,187)	0	(62,187)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	0	0	(725)	(725)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests								0
Phantom and restricted stock issuances	14	0	(653)	0	0	(639)	0	(639)
Dividends declared	0	0	32	(35,449)	0	(35,417)	0	(35,417)
Stock compensation expense	0	0	3,846	0	0	3,846	0	3,846
Tax effects of stock plan	0	0	21	0	0	21	0	21
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 13,546	$ 1,213	$ 2,058,492	$ (319,448)	$ (131,327)	$ 1,622,476	$ 5,567	$ 1,628,043