Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 02, 2016	Apr. 04, 2015
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 28,014	$ 30,699
Adjustment to the numerator for continuing operations and net earnings:
Interest savings assuming conversion of dilutive convertible and exchangeable notes, net of tax	38	16
Numerator for diluted earnings per share:
Net earnings attributable to Vishay stockholders - diluted	$ 28,052	$ 30,715
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
Weighted average shares	147,691	147,569
Outstanding phantom stock units	142	129
Adjusted weighted average shares (basic)	147,833	147,698
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible and exchangeable debt instruments	2,626	4,778
Restricted stock units	169	184
Other	0	6
Dilutive potential common shares	2,795	4,968
Denominator for diluted earnings per share:
Adjusted weighted average shares (diluted)	150,628	152,666
Basic earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.19	$ 0.21
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Vishay stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.19	$ 0.20
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)	20,574	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)	$ 13.31
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)	8,189	8,024
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)	$ 18.25
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
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)	$ 11.32
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
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)	610	620