Summary of Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ 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		Sep. 28, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Operations data:
Net revenues	$ 555,928		$ 560,654		$ 590,470		$ 593,436		$ 610,764		$ 638,211		$ 641,929		$ 602,378				$ 2,300,488	$ 2,493,282	$ 2,370,979
Gross profit	125,556		130,144		141,482		145,038		143,524		158,392		164,093		145,283				542,220	611,292	567,260
Operating Income	30,226		(24,155)		44,170		47,558		43,157		45,459		57,923		42,572				97,799	189,111	197,682
Net earnings (loss)	(137,626)		(27,550)		26,518		30,925		29,070		26,977		35,832		25,964				(107,733)	117,843	123,769
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	189		116		250		226		(136)		6		190		154				781	214	789
Net earnings (loss) 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
Per Share data:
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (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 (loss) per share attributable to Vishay stockholders:	$ (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
Operating income (loss):
Restructuring and related expenses	$ 9,821		$ 2,324		$ 5,660		$ 1,410		$ 1,971		$ 3,508		$ 9,014		$ 6,404				$ 19,215	$ 20,897	$ 2,814
Impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets	0		62,980		0		0		0		0		0		0				62,980	0	0
U.S. pension settlement charges	0		0		0		0		0		15,588		0		0				0	15,588	0
Other income (expense):
Loss related to Tianjin explosion	0		5,350		0		0		0		0		0		0				5,350	0	0
Discrete Tax Items Included Income Tax Expense	$ 152,437		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ (1,228)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ (2,867)	$ (1,330)	$ 152,437	$ (1,228)	$ (4,197)
Quarter end date	Dec. 31, 2015	[2]	Oct. 03, 2015	[2]	Jul. 04, 2015	[2]	Apr. 04, 2015	[2]	Dec. 31, 2014	[2]	Sep. 27, 2014	[2]	Jun. 28, 2014	[2]	Mar. 29, 2014	[2]			Dec. 31, 2015
Number of weeks in an interim reporting period																			P91D

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

[2] The Company reports interim financial information for 13-week periods beginning on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday, except for the first fiscal quarter, which always begins on January 1, and the fourth fiscal quarter, which always ends on December 31.