Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	DEUTSCHE VARIABLE SERIES II
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2017
Supplement [Text Block]	dvs2_SupplementTextBlock	SUPPLEMENT TO THE CURRENTLY EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUSES Deutsche Alternative Asset Allocation VIP The following sentence replaces the similar sentence contained under "Main Investments" in the "PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY" section of the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses: The fund may also invest in securities of unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs or exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to gain a desired economic exposure to a particular asset category or investment strategy that is not available through a Deutsche fund (Deutsche funds and unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs are collectively referred to as "underlying funds"). The following disclosure is added under the "MAIN RISKS" section within the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses: ETN risk. Because ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities of an issuer (typically a bank or bank holding company), ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the issuer and may lose value due to a downgrade in the issuer's credit rating. The returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of an underlying instrument (typically an index), minus applicable fees. ETNs typically do not make periodic interest payments and principal typically is not protected. The value of an ETN may fluctuate based on factors such as time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. The fund bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Because ETNs trade on a securities exchange, their shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value.
Deutsche Alternative Asset Allocation VIP
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Supplement [Text Block]	dvs2_SupplementTextBlock	SUPPLEMENT TO THE CURRENTLY EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUSES Deutsche Alternative Asset Allocation VIP The following sentence replaces the similar sentence contained under "Main Investments" in the "PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY" section of the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses: The fund may also invest in securities of unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs or exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to gain a desired economic exposure to a particular asset category or investment strategy that is not available through a Deutsche fund (Deutsche funds and unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs are collectively referred to as "underlying funds"). The following disclosure is added under the "MAIN RISKS" section within the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses: ETN risk. Because ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities of an issuer (typically a bank or bank holding company), ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the issuer and may lose value due to a downgrade in the issuer's credit rating. The returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of an underlying instrument (typically an index), minus applicable fees. ETNs typically do not make periodic interest payments and principal typically is not protected. The value of an ETN may fluctuate based on factors such as time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. The fund bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Because ETNs trade on a securities exchange, their shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value.
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The fund may also invest in securities of unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs or exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to gain a desired economic exposure to a particular asset category or investment strategy that is not available through a Deutsche fund (Deutsche funds and unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs are collectively referred to as "underlying funds").
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	ETN risk. Because ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities of an issuer (typically a bank or bank holding company), ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the issuer and may lose value due to a downgrade in the issuer's credit rating. The returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of an underlying instrument (typically an index), minus applicable fees. ETNs typically do not make periodic interest payments and principal typically is not protected. The value of an ETN may fluctuate based on factors such as time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. The fund bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Because ETNs trade on a securities exchange, their shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value.

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

rr_ProspectusDate

May 01, 2017

dvs2_SupplementTextBlock

SUPPLEMENT TO THE CURRENTLY EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUSES

Deutsche Alternative Asset Allocation VIP

The following sentence replaces the similar sentence contained under "Main Investments" in the "PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY" section of the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses:

The fund may also invest in securities of unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs or exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to gain a desired economic exposure to a particular asset category or investment strategy that is not available through a Deutsche fund (Deutsche funds and unaffiliated mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs are collectively referred to as "underlying funds").

The following disclosure is added under the "MAIN RISKS" section within the summary section and the "FUND DETAILS" section of the fund's prospectuses:

ETN risk. Because ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities of an issuer (typically a bank or bank holding company), ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the issuer and may lose value due to a downgrade in the issuer's credit rating. The returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of an underlying instrument (typically an index), minus applicable fees. ETNs typically do not make periodic interest payments and principal typically is not protected. The value of an ETN may fluctuate based on factors such as time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. The fund bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Because ETNs trade on a securities exchange, their shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value.

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

ETN risk. Because ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities of an issuer (typically a bank or bank holding company), ETNs are subject to the credit risk of the issuer and may lose value due to a downgrade in the issuer's credit rating. The returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of an underlying instrument (typically an index), minus applicable fees. ETNs typically do not make periodic interest payments and principal typically is not protected. The value of an ETN may fluctuate based on factors such as time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. The fund bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Because ETNs trade on a securities exchange, their shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value.