Earnings per share (Details) - EUR (€)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Numerators:
Net income attributable to shareholders of FMC-AG & Co. KGaA	€ 278,555,000	€ 308,175,000
Denominators:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding	306,453,070	306,241,321
Potentially dilutive shares	986,454	519,712
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	€ 0.91	€ 1.01
Fully diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	€ 0.91	€ 1

n/a

No definition available.

Name:	fms_DenominatorsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	fms_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

n/a

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fms_NumeratorsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	fms_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of profit (loss) attributable to ordinary equity holders of the parent entity (the numerator) divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period (the denominator).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 33
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 66
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=33&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_66&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_BasicEarningsLossPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of profit (loss) attributable to ordinary equity holders of the parent entity (the numerator), divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period (the denominator), both adjusted for the effects of all dilutive potential ordinary shares. [Refer: Ordinary shares [member]; Weighted average [member]]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DilutedEarningsLossPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of dilutive potential ordinary shares that relate to the assumed exercise of the entity's share options.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 33
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 70
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=33&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_70_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DilutiveEffectOfShareOptionsOnNumberOfOrdinaryShares
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The profit (loss) attributable to owners of the parent. [Refer: Profit (loss)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81B
-Subparagraph a
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81B_a_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ProfitLossAttributableToOwnersOfParent
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of ordinary shares outstanding at the beginning of the period, adjusted by the number of ordinary shares bought back or issued during the period multiplied by a time-weighting factor.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 33
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 70
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=33&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_70_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_WeightedAverageShares
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration